As the flowers burst into bloom this year, there is a desire to find hope in their presence. So much has happened during the past year. Awareness of the seasonal changes is especially important. The transformation from winter to spring is more relevant than usual this year. The hope that is usually experienced during this time of renewal is less obvious. We grasp for threads of understanding about life in the past year, as the continuation of the surreal world around us unfolds.
Usually, when we think of spring the image is of abundance and the beginnings of new life. What isn’t made apparent is the concept of waiting. The spring brings us the result of what was dormant over the winter. This dormancy allows for something new to develop. Much like an idea that first forms as an incomplete concept, not every idea comes to fruition in the end. This is true of plants as well. We don’t see the ones that didn’t quite have the life force to make their way up through the dense soil, heavy with rainwater, to find the sunshine. Each year, we wait to see what will be revealed. Which expression of life has made it through the winter?
The Book of Changes (I Ching,) a well known oracle from the Chinese Ancient Classics, provides insight into the essence of spring. The hexagram Xu, represents the need to wait “with sincerity and trust” for access to forward movement. If impatience and force motivates forward movement, peril lies ahead. When alignment occurs, opportunity is created for safe passage and success for the desired outcome. When the timing is right, planned action can be made auspiciously.
What is the message of spring? How does it portray hope? Plants offer a view into the cyclical quality of life potential. Each season takes a plant through the steps of either living fully or gradual decline. Therefore, the renewal that comes with spring is predictable. As the new leaves begin to unfurl, flowers are budding and the anticipation of future reward is almost visible. Can you look more closely and find the hope in the potential that is being revealed?
The place we often get tripped up is by expecting all potential to become reality. Finding the progression towards manifestation requires the ability to be patient. Waiting is simply Wu Wei, the action of non-action. When trust is present, waiting can be fulfilling in itself. With keen observation, small indicators of what is developing underneath the surface become apparent. The knowledge of when to move forward is then readily perceived and the appropriate steps can be taken confidently.
So, take a step back and choose to wait, in complete trust. Breathe deeply, spend time in slower activities, meditate on the glory of what is about to be revealed in the hopefulness of spring!
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