Wheel of the Year, Spring Quarter: How Will Your Garden Grow? BY LISA ADAMS SEASONAL INSIGHTS
selves what worked well, what didn’t, and how they might do better next time around. Our ancestors were always
Ever turning, the Wheel of the Year moves time and agricultural practices forward. We emerge from our rest and hibernation in winter, beginning to plan our year and take action. As Spring approaches, new ideas, new intentions, and new growth take hold in our minds as well as in nature. How can we partner with this energy to live in greater harmony with Earth’s cycles and capitalize on our own personal evo - lutionary goals? Let’s look back on our agricultural ancestry for clues. Looking Back To Look Ahead As daylight grows longer, people would already be thinking about their gardens — what to plant, when to plant, how to arrange the gar- den, and sowing seeds indoors. They would also be thinking about their livestock in a similar manner, winding down lambing season and in the midst of calving season. Signs of new, budding life are every- where in early Spring. In this time of planning, it’s essential to take stock of livestock — how much is needed for all to thrive, which livestock is getting too old, ready to conceive, their health, what kind and how many to purchase — as well as crops — which ones are ready to harvest, and what provi- sions are needed. Offerings of gratitude would be made for surviving winter and for the nourishment of their livestock. A myriad of decisions must be made with the end goal of harvest in mind, as well as survival during the next winter season. Spring clean- ing would commence, clearing out the energy and potential illnesses of winter; cleaning the hearth; and checking food storage to discern what’s still of good use and what may have rotted. They’d ask them -
looking for clues as to how na- ture and the seasons were un- folding so they could make the best decisions. Call this natural divination if you will. Observing how the animals, insects, trees, and plants behaved were signs to be aware of. Would it be a dry season? Would it be a wet year? Was there a blight or other po- tentially disastrous condition to ward off? Survival depended on this information as well as the ability to adapt and thrive. Natural Wisdom For Modern Times We are in the time of year when Spring Equinox occurs, a natural time of seeking balance. Each quarter of the year presents a natural opportunity to contem- plate and evaluate our lives and how our toiling contributes to a life that aligns with our values, enabling us to thrive. Our activities tend to shift and change given the season — especially if we live in a climate with four distinct seasons. Even if you live where the weather stays consistent year- round, the amount of light and dark changes, and other cycles are at play.
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PATHWAYS—Spring 23—27
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