Sacred Seasons

by Deb Swingholm 

I find such joy in observing and discovering the magic that exists within the movements of the elements and the seasons.  These cycles of the Earth and the moods of Nature are beautifully expressed in the Medicine Wheel, the Celtic Wheel of the Year and the Feng Shui Bagua. 

The Celtic Wheel and the Medicine Wheel are something I use daily, monthly, seasonally, yearly.  Honoring the seasons as they move and turn keeps me grounded and connected to the Earth.  I celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes as points of transition.  These are days to pause and notice Nature, and contemplate the lessons and wisdom she is offering at that point in time.  I take time to see how my own inner rhythms are moving in relation to these natural cycles.  Often, these are periods of reflection and personal ritual.  

In my daily life and work, I use the Medicine Wheel.  I honor the Spirit Animals of each direction.  And, I invite each direction and each element to work with me, opening to their unique qualities and gifts.  There are many variations of the Medicine Wheel.  In the form I use, East represents Air, new beginnings, illumination, vision.  South is Fire, growth, energy, expansion.  West is Water, dreaming, transformation, insight, introspection and receptivity.  And, North represents Earth, grounding, wisdom, the elders and rest after completion.  A project begins and takes form in the East, and I walk with it around the Wheel as it expands and comes to completion in the North.  It isn’t linear – it is possible that one project may be in the East while another is nearing its finish in the North.

In Feng Shui, the Bagua is also a spiral of the seasons.  The elements are represented (five elements here instead of four), and the focus is on the movements and relationships between them.  Water nourishing wood.  Wood feeding fire.  Earth damming water.  As a feng shui consultant, I look for how the seasons, cycles and elements are expressed in a home or plot of land, how they are balanced or imbalanced, and make adjustments to bring them into a healthy flow. 

I also dwell in the Moon cycle.  To me, it is like a spiral within the circle.  When the moon turns new, I can always tell because  I experience a huge rush of energy and creative juice.  It’s like a gentle, energizing in-breath.  This waxing cycle is usually a potent creative time for me, as the energy builds and crests at the full moon.  When the moon wanes, the energy becomes quieter.  This is time spent incubating and dreaming.
 
The beauty really is in discovering the sacred rhythms pulsing in the midst of what is happening right now.  Discovering how these rhythms give shape and color to life.

© Deb Swingholm 2010. All rights reserved.

Tags: Deb Swingholm, feng shui consultant, wheel of the year