Spring Equinox

This coming Sunday, the 20th March, sees the astrological event known as the Spring Equinox, an occasion when there are equal hours of light and darkness. The word 'equinox' stems from two Latin words: 'aequus' meaning equal and 'nox' meaning night.

The equinox, was an occasion marked by the neolithic inhabitants of these isles and for those who acknowledge the festival today it is important on three counts:

• It acts as the mid point marker of the sun's journey from winter through to summer (opposite if you are in the southern hemisphere)


• It has been essential in the calculation of the Christian festival of Easter for centuries (more about that next time)


• It coincides with the sewing of many crops in the farming calendar.

From this point on until the autumnal equinox in September daylight hours will exceed those of darkness and the long cold days of winter will once again slip into the memory archives.

This is a time to bring a sense of balance into your life between work and play, between relationships and self. It is also time to put all the plans into action that you have made during the dark days and seeing your dreams rise along with the sap.

Happy Equinox!

Clearing the Air

Although it is still strictly speaking winter time, there's something about entering the month of March that makes us turn our thoughts towards spring. As a result many of us think about the inevitable spring clean, but is it enough just to clean our homes of dust and grime or should we be looking to actually cleanse the space we live in on an energy level too?

Just as we like to feel healthy and energetic, our homes too benefit from free flowing energy and fortunately clearing the air can be both a simple and rewarding task that most of us can manage to fit into our busy lifestyles. Below are just a few ideas.

• Fill a small dish with water and add to it a teaspoon of salt. If you would like to add a pleasant aroma then essential oil of Cypress or Frankinense is recommended for their cleansing properties. Walk clockwise around each room sprinkling the salted water into all the dark corners whilst saying the following: 'Cleanse this place, my sacred space'.


• Ring a bell, play a singing bowl, clap your hands, drum, or sing in each room as the vibration on sound will raise the energy.


• Light a smudge stick (a bunch of tied sage) or an incense stick and walk clockwise around the room, chanting the words above.


• If you are a reiki practitioner you can use reiki energy to cleanse your room or if not you can simply use the power of visualise a bright white light illuminating your home and clearing all negativity.


• You may wish to place crystals in the corners of your room, each of which carry their own vibrations although clear quartz is reknowned for space clearing.

Happy Spring Clearing!

Coping with Grief

At Last it is the first day of March! The last two months have been dark for many, myself included, not only because of it being winter but also because my Mum passed away on the 5th January, an event which has changed many aspects of my life.

Until you lose someone close you can never really understand how it feels and grief affects different people in different ways, manifesting in all kinds of physical aches, pains and peculiar ailments to which there apparently seems no rhyme or reason, besides the heart rending pain of emotional loss. It is a time when everyone who is grieving should treat themselves gently and allow themselves time to cry, perhaps to be angry but hopefully come to find an acceptance and understanding of an event which is always life changing.

Nothing initially will ever take away the raw pain of loss but burning aromatic essential oils can have a profound effect on the psyche. Burning the following oils either alone or in combination on an incense burner or aromastone is recommended as long as NOT MORE than 6 drops are used at anyone time in a little water.

Cypress: Cleanses the air, lifts the atmosphere and clears any negative energies, associated with having to cope with hospitals, funeral parlours, crematoriums etc. It also has the reputation of bringing about an acceptance of death and was always revered by the ancients as having the ability to carry the soul of the departed on its journey.

Rose: Fills the heart with love and helps us to remember that the essence of our loved one is never lost.

Bergamot: Uplifts the soul and helps to ease depressive states that may descend following the passing of someone close.

Bach Flower Remedies may also help, especially the following:

Sweet Chestnut: For extreme anguish

Star of Bethlehem: For shock

(take these in accordance with instructions on the bottle)

May everyone who is suffering take comfort from the fact that you are not alone and that the Divine essence which resides in nature can help to ease the burden in some small way.