When people were fully dependent on the produce from the Earth, the last weeks of winter could have been harsh. The diversity and quantity of food resources were dwindling down. “Can we make it until the fresh edible spring fruits are ripe for gathering?” Observing plants and animals and the Sun gave hope. And inspired eagerness to escort the old winter away, while enticing the shy spring to come in quicker. Hence a plethora of festivals in February and March: from the first stirrings in the Earth’s womb on Imbolc to celebrating Love on Valentine’s Day in the middle of the month to turning the common ways upside-down at Mardi Gras carnivals. These are only a few examples. The Christian custom of fasting from Ash Wednesday—which was last week this year—to Easter Sunday can be understood on existential grounds—rationing the disappearing pantry reserves—as well as spiritual aspirations—anticipating Light’s victory over death.

The Soul has learnt much about Love during its winter sojourn in the realms of feeling, and is now clearing, or rather cleansing, the path to make the insights of the heart visible in the world of matter. In Slovene folklore, the birds start courting in the middle of February but they don’t mate until the middle of March, in time for Spring Equinox.

Yes, indeed, the last six weeks of winter are odd in the temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere: the sunlight hours continue to extend, yet, the temperatures are still low outside. And the snow storms continue to visit us. But we can also observe Life slowly waking up from the winter slumber. Snowdrops and primroses and crocuses push through the cold soil to smile at us. Birds and rabbits and bees begin to be active anew. Nature responds to warmth, and people respond to Light: We may feel a certain release in the Soul as the days are slowly, yet, persistently, getting longer.

The joy of growth rises from the world’s great womb,

Quickening the senses’ life.

May it find my strength of thought,

well-armed by powers divine,

strongly alive within my being.

~ Verse 47 by Rudolf Steiner from The Calendar of the Soul
(trans. Ruth & Hans Pusch, with a slight revision by Marta Stemberger)

The Earth’s womb stirs.

Life quickens, eager to unite

the joy of growth,

the strength of thought,

the Spirit alive within me.

~ Soulful Spark 47 by Marta Stemberger

Connect within and connect without. Open to the insights from your Spirit core, and be receptive to the ideas from the outer sources. Observe. Cozy up in your reclining chair. Use the power of Imagination to create your dream. Imbue it with the feelings you desire. Make it as real as possible. Constructive daydreaming gets better and easier with practice. Enter into the new reality you’ve created with all your being. Savor it. Then write the inspired creation down in your journal. When you’ve finished describing the real experience you’ve had in the world of genuine Imagination, pause. Breathe, close your eyes. Feel the column of Light, connecting you with your Highest Self. Form a question in your mind: “What is the first step I need to take to manifest my dream on the material plane?” Allow the forces of Light, Love, Life stream through you. Listen to the answer with your heart, not your brain. Perhaps you’ll hear: “Be positive,” or “Write to this person”. Follow up with heart-felt action. Be gentle and patient though. It takes time for the roots to strengthen into resilient channels that can sustain the growth. If you launch too soon, the umbilical cord, supplying spiritual provision, breaks, and your plan simply evaporates into thin air. Hold your horses. Wait until after the Spring Equinox, when the will forces of nature shall transform your jump into sustainable long-distance flight.

You see, we always have a choice, but we need to understand where it lies. Things happen to us as they are meant to happen, based on the blueprint we charted with our Spirit allies before we were born. However, we can choose how we react to whatever Life brings our way. There’s a gift and a lesson in everything: in pain and in joy. I can enjoy the rough beauty of a windy snowstorm, or I can wallow in anxiety of “how will I survive”. Each one of us has a decision to make. Our task on Earth is to choose wisely. While clever and smart have their place, the Soul desires wisdom from the heart, a cherished treasure to keep for Eternity.

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Over to you, dear Soulful Reader:

WHAT AMAZING SEED DO YOU CHOOSE TO NURTURE INTO BEING?

I invite you to share your thoughts + impressions below.

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Treat yourself to insightful name analysis…

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