March knows exactly what it is doing! Bulbs start to push through frozen or muddy ground. Trees once again grow their buds. Birds are making a lot of noise in the gardens. Spring is here and doing what it does best: starting again, renewing.
Meanwhile, some of us are experiencing our own less-celebrated spring (aka menopause!), and just like spring, it can be messy with false starts, unexpected frosts, heat waves and foggy days. Eventually, the monthly cycles stop, and a different rhythm begins. Kate Codrington calls it “Second Spring”. That phase after the storm when something shifts. It is not back to how things were; it never will be. Second Spring doesn’t mean everything blooms at once. It means the conditions are right to move forward into something else.
So how could we tend to this Second Spring? Start where spring always starts … in the soil.
Soil makes us happy. It contains Mycobacterium vaccae [1], a natural antidepressant that stimulates the production of our mood-stabilising hormone, serotonin. It is also believed to improve our cognitive functions (memory, problem-solving, and concentration). In addition, gardening engages our senses, and if you are playing in the dirt, you will most likely be outside. Exposure to natural light has many wonderful benefits, like boosting Vitamin D and improving sleep.
Get Your Hands in the Dirt
This month, I invite you to get your hands in the dirt!
Find a little patch of soil, and if you don’t have that, try a small bag of compost. Roll up your sleeves and dive in! Immerse your hands in it. Knead, rub, dig, roll, squeeze and play. How does that feel?
Close your eyes. Acknowledge the richness of the earth, the nutrition it provides. Be open and curious. What wants to grow now? What is quietly composting?
Take a deep breath. Draw in the energy of the soil in your hands, through your body.
Then gently dust off your hands, wash them with soap and warm water and repeat as often as you like. Your nervous system will thank you for it!
Your body knows about spring. It has been practising. Now take what you have learned with your hands in the soil: patience, grounding, trust, and the willingness to get messy and to dare to be the change you want to see in your organisation, family, community, and life!
Words: Mathilde Barbier
Reference: [1] Is Dirt the New Prozac? – Discover Magazine.
Would you like to organise a Women’s Circle of Change in your local community?
Life is a mosaic—beautiful, messy and ever-changing.
Whether navigating life transitions, seeking community, reflection or wanting to be heard, this safe and nurturing women’s circle is for you.
We connect through authentic storytelling, finding wisdom and inspiration in each other’s experiences.
Let’s co-create a space where you and your guests can soften, breathe, express, explore and just be.
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Our Editorial Team are writers and experts in their field. Their views and opinions may not always be the views of Wellbeing Magazine. If you are under the direction of medical supervision please speak to your doctor or therapist before following the advice and recommendations in these articles.
