The intensity of early Spring brings lots of excitement and with all this activity come tumultuous feelings along for the ride.
It has taken me so long to learn that.
It is for this reason that I’m joining in with two of my favorite gardening memes: Donna’s wonderful meme called Seasonal Celebrations and Beth’s meme, called Lessons Learned. Since the two often go together in my experience, I am happy to be part of this community of writers who really notice the natural world around us.
Before I share my lessons learned and seasonal celebration….let me say that I am writing this as a Portland, Oregon gardener who has never seen a February/March like the one we are having. We have sun every day, it’s warm and there has scarcely been any rain. This is so NOT Portland, but of course we are all loving it, the plants are about a month early and the high pressure system looks like it is here to stay for awhile longer. Soooo, friends in the mid-west and east, if you sense a little irrational exuberance in my post, please forgive me?
When your spring comes, everybody is going to go berserk with happiness and it is just around the corner—you know it is!
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The first time I asked my Chinese Medicine physician, who was trained in Tibet, why I had so much trouble in early spring, getting way over-tired, not resting enough, not even eating right for the season, her response took me by surprise: “You are an Earth type,” she said, “your birthday occurs in the heart of the harvest, the time of maximum female energy, of abundance and the very beginning of slowing down to turn inward.”
Well, that was food for thought. She went on to explain that late summer, in its abundance, also signals to the body to begin its inward cycle. People may struggle with fatigue—heck, we’ve been working like mad all summer!—or low energy triggered by over-exertion, or lack of sleep. (Have YOU ever fallen asleep in the grass in your grubby gardening shorts with your #2 Felco pruners in your hot little hand? I have.)
But Spring! Spring is a masculine season. In Chinese medicine, spring energy is the energy of the liver—its job to instigate movement and “arouse the mind by allowing tension to build in the body.” Here is a wonderful quote from Dr. Frank Lipman, a respected resource in Chinese medicine: “Spring is a time for metamorphosis. Whatever resources have been stored during the darkness of winter are now ready to use as we tap into the primal surging that accompanies this time of new beginnings. Spring is creative, volatile, and powerful and so are we as we enter this phase in our annual cycle.”
Ah ha. Creative, volatile. Yup, that’s me. Without this spring energy, I don’t know how I’d be diving into my book project with such strong, positive feelings. But I have taken note—and this is the lessons learned part—because spring energy is so full of the tension of sap rising, I simply have to pace myself to gain all the benefits and a little less of the downside.
Celebration too, I haven’t felt this creative and jazzed in a long time. But some days I run on too little sleep, up with the birds at the crack of dawn and writing until late in the evening. Eventually, the body exacts its due. So, if I’m smart and remember that this is a masculine season, I can temper it with some quiet, restorative and female time.
Chinese Medicine may not be for you, but it is 2,000 years old after all. I’d say those systems of medicine have learned a thing or two about what makes us tick.
So, what about you?….are you volatile in the spring? And again for those of you struggling with endless snow….how will you approach spring when you can finally get out in your garden?
Wow, you could be describing me, too! When is your birthday? Mine is late August. I forgive you! Bring on the spring flower photos (and the summer flower photos, and any blooming photos)! Cheers! And thanks for joining in the memes.
My birthday is very early September…so there you have it! We are very much the same-:)I have a group of girlfriends, (each of us with late August, early September birthdays) that meet and have a combined birthday lunch. If you were in town, you’d be part of it. I don’t blog as often as most, so I miss some of the memes, but this was one I didn’t want to miss out on! Thanks for coming by Beth…as always so much appreciated.
A thought from Rumi as we delve into spring planting:
Try and be a sheet of paper with nothing on it.
Be a spot of ground where nothing is growing,
Where something might be planted,
A seed possibly, from the Absolute.
From We Are Three, translation Coleman Barks.
I love this Margaret. I can easily remember the first and second lines and they will help me. A piece like that goes right to the heart of expectations, doesn’t it? It’s a beautiful reminder to be with the seed, and not racing with the thought of what will be later on. Thank you for sending this. Rumi always hits the heart of the matter.
Spring is an exciting, vibrant, busy time of year. I love it, and marvel at it each and every year.
I think my heart is with Autumn and Winter though. Quieter. Subtler (Well, subtler when the autumnal fireworks are over).
What are the autumnal fireworks for? Something like the U.S.’s Independence Day? Although it sounds like it may go on for longer, well wait a minute, we have bozos here who shoot off fireworks ten days before the date and about ten days after. Drives me up the wall. Noise. I don’t do noise well. The highpoint of the year for me is Indian Summer, the harvest time, and then into Autumn. I understand your comment. I guess I’d have to say I share it. I wonder how many people who also love winter are re-thinking their love of it this particular year! (In the U.S. that is….)
I don’t do noise well either. The autumnal fireworks that I was referring to – and love – are the colours on the trees as they change. More spectacular than any of the noisy fireworks I have ever seen.
Oh, of course! You are a poet, so autumnal fireworks is certainly what you would mean. Yes, they are more spectacular. I often think–probably incorrectly–that it is too dry in Australia for Japanese Maples, for example. Could you educate me? What provides the fireworks in your neck of the woods?
Some parts of Oz are too dry for much autumnal colour, and some too warm. Here we get are lucky and experience all four seasons. Maples, poplars, liquid ambers, pistachio, and rather a lot of other trees (exotics) give us our display.
Thank you for letting me know the trees that you have in your area Soosie. I’m getting out my Atlas and looking at Australia to try to learn more. The use of the word “Oz” was cute, I wondered if locals call Australia that….
Anyway, thanks for following up. I appreciate knowing. I do miss our Vision & Verb at times….
Susie
I love these explanations of the seasons. As a spring birthday, I see why I thrive in spring and when it is delayed why I become antsy and depressed…..right now I am chomping….what will I do. spend loads of time running around my garden, laying in the damp grass and watching the garden spring to life….then it is on to the frenzy of spring chores and planting….I can;t wait to be bone tired and sore….I will fall asleep exhausted to the sound of spring peepers.
Spoken like a true child of the Spring! Even saying that you can’t wait to be bone tired and sore says it all. I used to do more of that, but less so now. But I have fallen asleep on the porch swing, in khaki green garden shorts with my pruners in my deep pockets, nails filthy, face dirty, smelling of some god-awful fish emulsion….and happy. I sure hope this happens for you soon Donna….VERY very soon.
I like to hear this..”I haven’t felt this creative and jazzed in a long time.. “..I am jazzed but nervous for my daughter to have her baby in six weeks… Excited too…Michelle
Oooo, congratulations Grandmother to be. I’m sure all will go well, and then you’ll have a spring baby. Just think of all the fun playing with the baby outside in the warm weather when it comes and introducing him/her to the nature in your own backyard! Yes, it’s pretty exciting for me to be working on this book in the spring…thanks for picking up on that sentence.
A lovely thought provoking post Susan. I am a spring baby but often think our “English” winter is my favourite season – I do get spring fever though as the light returns and the flowers start to pop – by mid summer I am exhausted – I garden with the light so our long days can find me working outside at 10pm – I say it every year but I really must learn to pace myself and to find some downtime in the long summer season.
I love hearing that an English winter is your favorite season! I hear people moan and groan about drippy gray weather, but I often find a vitality to it. Racing clouds, changeability. I love traveling in Europe in winter, because you just need a good pair of walking shoes, jeans and a raincoat and fewer tourists are around. I am north like you are and in the summer, it is not uncommon for me to come in at 10pm after working in the garden. I wrote this post because, while I know we love it, it does give just as much pleasure to pace I think….
A really interesting post, Susan – and a pretty ‘vase in the hand’ too. I am a child of the winter (don’t know what the Chinese would say about that) but meditation, Tai Chi and living for the moment keep me on an even keel throughout the year.
You are super kind to let me participate Cathy! I do have a vase of four different varieties of daffs in my kitchen just now, but I just don’t post as often. But people who know me, know I’m never without fresh flowers around the house. I am 100% with you on your techniques for a balanced and present life. My husband and I are taking a Tai Chi class now (qigong had been my preferred way), and I used to have a regular meditation practice. I must get back to it. The work on my book has turned over my schedule a bit. But I need it. Thank you for writing in Cathy.
Some qigong for me too, actually! I don’t always manage a daily meditation but that is always my aim and I have learned not to beat myself up about it. Hope the book is progressing well and the words are flowing….
Don’t you love these timeless practices? I have a close friend, Marisol, who is a Master Teacher in Qigong. (A certain school of the practice, but I don’t know it offhand.) We’ve had two half day sessions with girlfriends in my garden! It was wonderful. Of course, it was in the middle of summer, so we could all be barefoot in the grass. Thanks for your good wishes on my book.
thanks for the taste of oregon, our home for years and where we still spend most summers. Our daughter has told us of how odd this season has been. (In eugene area). I miss seeing spring flowers here in Florida and your beautiful pink tree made me homesick. But I loved it. I wonder what your Dr would say about those of us who don’t experience the seasonal change (no real winter).
Thanks much for visiting Sallie and welcome! Yes, it may even be warmer in central Oregon, in places like Eugene and where Grace is located. I would sure miss spring flowers in Florida too. I’m glad the pink plum gave you a feeling of a long lost home. You know, I don’t know enough about Chinese medicine to know what those physicians would say about people who don’t experience the four seasons. It would be a pure guess on my part, but that as life on earth–like birds, animals, plants–I would think we would be moved in certain ways internally despite the lack of external change. We might just have to pay more attention to our internal feelings to see it. Hope you’ll come again–I’ll stop by and pay you a visit!
Susan, your Ice Kings are lovely and that deep blue hyacinth is fabulous. It must be interesting to have spring there a bit early. Finally in NC we are seeing things turn toward warmth.
Hi Susie and welcome also! I am also nuts about those deep blue hyacinth. If you look at some of my garden archives, you can see I’m crazy for blue flowers. It is pretty unusual for us to have weather approaching 70 degrees in March. It hasn’t happened in the nearly 24 years I’ve been here. I’m glad to hear you have warmth spreading in NC. Cheers and hyacinths to you…
How nice to get extra energy for the wonders of spring. When I was younger, I used to get more tired in the fall. But that was probably because I didn’t like school. (When I got to college, I loved it). I get tired in the heat – I wonder what your Chinese medicine doctor would say to that.
Hi Leora, I haven’t seen you in such a long time, welcome back! I visited your site the other day. I don’t think Chinese Medicine has the answer for everything, you know? Sometimes, if we are tired, it just means we are tired! Nothing else to explain it. But it is fascinating to know some systems of thought. I hope your garden is coming along and that you have more and warmth as the days go on. Be well, Susan
I think I get a little dozy in the Spring….it sets me to reflection
in a way no other season does. I want to go slow and putter and put my
body as close to warming earth as I can. Stretch out on a quilt on the ground
is what my soul begs. I wonder what that means in Chinese medicine?
Spring is coming on slowly, babystepping back and forth.
It’s a slow and clumsy dance but, oh, she will come:)
thanks for sharing your daffodilia,
Jennifer
I’m glad you liked my daffodil party-:)) I just put a big vase of them in the kitchen, they sure brighten up everything. I noticed you have a lot of daffs on your latest post and zine. I was in the cancer center the other day for an ordinary check up (nothing wrong) and I saw the zine that I had left there months ago due to your generous gift. Thank you again for that. When I think of you, I think of Rainier Maria Rilke’s line: “Oh Earth, I need no more of your springtimes to remind me, just one, just one is enough for my blood.”
There are many Eastern modalities, Susie, (like astrology, which is my specialty, as you may know), which have been around thousands of years. Why it has taken the Western world so long to appreciate them, let alone accept them, is beyond me. Which is to say I have loved reading about your own experience with your Chinese Medicine physician. And I really like the title of this post.
It’s interesting how for me I always think of Spring as being feminine energy because of birthing (all those wee lambsey divies right now), expectancy, resurrecting, etc. Hmmmm. I guess there IS a yin-yang to everything, isn’t there!
Our spring is starting here in Dutchland…but then we never really had what I would call a real winter. When temps hover around 30-40F throughout the coldest months, it’s a poor excuse for winter, I’m afraid. (sigh)
Yes, even going to a Naturopath trained in Chinese Medicine and having them take (I think) 6 different pulses instead of just 1, should be a pretty good indication! We are very locked into our view of Medicine in this country, but I do think it has been changing for awhile. Even my Oncologist told me “Get thee to an acupunturist!” and she saved me from a lot of nasty side effects that I might have had otherwise. I understand why most people—me too—would see spring as female, due to all the birthing, etc. I thought that way too. But all that pushing out is a powerful force, an active force, a masculine force if you will. The Harvest is more female, the Result—if you will—of the masculine! And then it softens, softens until it is fully ripe, then nature goes inward gradually building building into the force that forces everything out! It is hard to explain, but I got it as soon as it was explained to me. Of course, it doesn’t answer every question. As one of my teachers once told me: sometimes when you see a bird pulling a worm out of the lawn, it means that a bird is pulling a worm out of the lawn-:)) (I know you will get that.) Enjoy all that gamboling with the lambsey-divies!
How lovely to be having a warm early spring, here in Lazio spring still feels a long way off – last year I planted out some of my tomatoes in March, I think it will be May this year! Love you beautiful daffodils, my favourite spring flower that unfortunately struggle in my garden so it is lovely to see yours.
I’m surprised to hear it’s cold in Rome. That seems odd to me. But then again, I recall one March when our plants froze in our bedroom. (That was a one-off to be sure.) And we were using Bombole! instead of Central heating because it was a big place and we were “starving students.” We have learned the hard way never to put out any tomatoes until May. It has been sooo tempting to do it now with this warm weather. But we often have really chilly and rainy Junes. One of the only semi-organic fertilizers I have to use is SuperPhosphate to give my tomatoes some decent start with root growth and stability when it is cold in June and they are still babies. Ciao Christina.
Hello Susan, I am envious of your beautiful flowers.. We still have snow here and will not see blooms till May.. So I appreciate visiting your post from Nature Notes.. The colors and flowers brighten my rainy day today.. Lovely images, have a happy week!
Hi Eileen! Nice to see you here. I’m glad the flowers and colors could brighten your day a bit. May you have a good week too. Spring is just around the corner…Susie
cabin fever from the builders. Seeking to gather my gardening energy – for when I can return to my preferred – spend all day in the garden!
Gorgeous photos, Susie, and thanks for the Chinese medicine references. I need to check further into what they mean for me, as a summer fire sign. The comments are great; I love getting a peek at thoughts and ideas from around the world!
Yes, I feel the same. The comments are almost the best part. For example, Diana Studer, writing just above you, is commenting in from South Africa! She is a marvelous person and does good work in this world. I wish I knew more of the Chinese system of medicine—I’ve learned bits and pieces as I can from my acupuncturist and Chinese medicine doctor. Looking forward to seeing you very soon!
Interesting post. We don’t have much in the way of autumn colors in my part of New Zealand, but we do have lots of pine green all winter.
Greetings Bettyl, Have I told you I love your name? I love thinking that it is autumn in New Zealand while it is spring here. We have pine green all winter too. Enjoying your journeys throughout your beautiful country!