All of us have experienced times in our life when everything seemed fresh and full of possibility...and those times when it felt like a part of us was dying.  I know I have.  But I never thought of those times as natural cycles.
 
In this thoughtful article, Jan Lundy, our Spirit and Self Editor, likens our spiritual life to the seasons, as part of a cycle of growth and passing.

Did you know that your soul can experience seasons just like nature does?

At any given time in your spiritual life you may be experiencing a Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall. Each has its own significance, invitations and lessons.

Sometimes, we enter into a soul season in alignment with the season around us. Right now, where I live in the northern U.S. it’s Fall. And it feels like I am experiencing a “Fall” within my soul, too. I’m feeling like I am in transition, letting certain things go, in the midst of change. I’m also feeling very grateful for all that I have been given. My life feels quite blessed, in the midst of some family difficulties. (But then are always difficulties, aren’t there?)

And other times, we enter into a new soul season because of an external event— a loss, change, or crisis. I thing of  these as “universal wake-up calls.” They are not always easy to navigate, but they do serve as an invitation from the Divine to something more. It simply may be time for us to grow into a new version of ourselves.

Let me share a palette of the seasons with you so you can recognize one when it pays your psyche a visit. Each offers a unique invitation to soul growth. As you read, keep in mind which season you might be in right now.

Spring: New Beginnings

Cleaning out, getting rid of clutter, of old, unwanted stuff. Feeling full of ideas and energy. Makeover, build, create, set exciting goals. A desire to explore; to engage in life differently. Launch a new enterprise, start a business. New growth; plant a garden. A time of opportunity. Passion and creativity are high.

Summer: Celebration

Time to play. Travel. Get together with others, be more social, family reunions.  A time of waiting—waiting for the garden or new projects to grow. Lack of routine; more spontaneity. Be out in nature—swim, bike, hike and use your body in invigorating ways. Energy is high. Savor and enjoy everything!

Fall: Harvest and Letting Go

Drawn back into home, school, and work settings. A routine returns.  rim back the garden, gather the produce. Harvest, a time of plenty and fullness. Gratitude. Appreciation. Time of transition; change; letting go. Surrender. Dying off.  Things begin to slow down and we go inward.

Winter: Hibernation

A time of greater darkness, solitude, silence. Going within. Rest; staying inside our respective caves. Introspective activities—reading, journaling, knitting; honoring the quiet spaces within. Going deeper to explore thoughts and feelings. Time of “fertile darkness”; growth is happening beneath the surface just as new life is germinating beneath the frozen earth.

As wise women of the earth it is very good to follow the inner urgings of any season and go with its flow. Honoring your inner seasons will energize you and produce positive results. Resist them, and you may feel dissatisfied, unsettled, or off-course.

I’m curious, which season do you find yourself in right now? What are you being invited to?

Jan Lundy, WomenBloom's Spirit and Self Editor, is an inspirational speaker, interfaith Spiritual Director and mentor, syndicated magazine columnist, and the author of four self-help/spiritual growth books for women. Her newest book,Your Truest Self: Embracing the Woman You Are Meant to Be , was released in 2008 by Sorin Books. She is passionate about her spiritual life and supporting women as they navigate theirs. Visit her blogs Awakened Living and Awake Is Good.

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