Uproot what is unwanted
Spring: A time of cleansing, letting go, and making space for new beginnings. It's a time when we shed our winter skins and move towards a lighter way of living. Spring may feel a bit heavy in the beginning, but you may intuitively notice more energy and inspiration as the season progresses. The trees are budding and the flowers are blooming, and there's an overall freshness to life! It's a time of clearing out our homes (spring cleaning), our bodies (cleanses), our gardens (yard clean up), and even our minds, making space for new projects and opportunities.
I was reminiscing about when I first got divorced, and my kids and I moved into a two bedroom double, down the street from where we live now. As a newly single mom, I was determined to make it as homey as possible for my family. We needed a comfortable and nurturing space to heal and find our feet again. I was grateful to find an affordable place, that was in a good school district and walking distance from parks. The inside was cozy and freshly painted, with some minor updated renovations, but the outside definitely needed some work. There were three huge, ugly, overgrown shrubs that lined the front of the house. They were so tall, I couldn’t even see if someone was in my driveway when I looked out the window. My laidback landlord said I could do anything I wanted to make the place nicer, so the landscape was were I started!
I called my handy friend Melissa over, who not only had a generous and helpful heart, but also a big Toyota Tacoma truck! Melissa confidently convinced me that she could pull the eye sore shrubbery out with her truck. She came over with all the necessary supplies, and we got work! After trimming back the shrubs, we wrapped a rope around the base, and connected the other end to her truck. She put her foot on the gas and drove forward...but no luck. The roots where so deep and strong in the hard Earth, that the shrubs seemed to scream, “NO, we’re not leaving!” She suggested pouring water on the roots to soften the dirt around them, and this time as she floored the gas peddle, the shrubs yanked right up!
This was pretty awesome to watch, and was incredibly symbolic for me. Seeing the gigantic roots uprooted was like weeding out what no longer worked for me in my life. I had a clean slate for a fresh start, and all this space to grow. I learned how necessary it was to soften, in order to surrender. I had to soften my roots, loosen my grip, unclench and release my clinging, and just trust in the unseen mystery of what the future would bring.
That time in my life was a huge practice in surrender. Once I let go of what was no longer serving me (relationships and overgrown shrubs!), so much goodness came into my life. Eventually a new loving and supportive partner, a more spacious and cozy home, a new and exciting career, and most importantly a more loving and healthy relationship with myself.
The need to make space
Uproot what is unwanted
Only then things grow
- Haiku from 2017
What is it that YOU are clearing out?
What are you making space for?
How can you make your life feel lighter and more spacious?
"You can only lose what you cling to."
- Gautama Buddha
Happy spring cleaning your life!!!
Be well,
Shannon