Spring Equinox: Rituals + Recipes
Here at BDC we love Mother Earth and the rhythm and cycles of this planet!
We are here to celebrate our connection to seasonal energies and invite our community to join us. We host virtual ceremonies on the equinoxes and solstices. Here is some information from the founders of BDC about the Spring Equinox and ways to honor the Spring Season.
What is the Spring Equinox?
The spring equinox marks a time of returning to balance. The days and nights even out so that we experience as much light as we do darkness. In this place of balance life re-awakens. In many traditions and cultures, this time celebrates the return of the light or source, and signals themes of renewal, rebirth, and a new start.
If we look to nature, all of life is beginning to move again. Seeds are sprouting. Flowers begin to bloom. For humans, spring is a time to notice and observe our yearnings and desires. These yearnings nudge us to get into a place of balance so that more of our dreams can come to life from a steady place within.
What does this mean for me now?
In this time of global turbulence and transformations, we are learning more about ourselves and the world. These times come with many revelations as well as desires for how to live differently, personally and collectively.
As we emerge from the winter season, we step into the energetic portal the spring equinox offers us. This is a great time to look at our fantasies, our desires, and make plans to take action to nourish our bodies, our communities, our spaces– because they are the foundational and fertile environments for our dreams to come to life from a newer, stronger, wiser you. In so many ways, a renewed sense of your own light is preparing itself to shine this upcoming spring season. And the best part is, you dont have to “do” anything, it’s a primal instinct happening all around us, we must simply remember to yield.
What personal rituals can I practice to honor Spring?
Personal rituals and practices can help you tap into the energies of spring. These ways can help us slow down, spend time with our hearts, souls, or higher selves and connect to remember the dreams we carry as well as the courage and clarity needed to bring them into manifestation. Recommendations:
JOURNAL. Spring is a time potent for life to give you hints about what you are yearning for yourself. Light a candle and set up some personal time with your favorite writing utensils to ask yourself: What dreams have I long carried? What do I yearn for myself now? What do I yearn in my community? What do I yearn for the world at large? Pay attention to what pulls your attention this next month and ask yourself what is “awakened” in you? Then pick 1 dream to take action towards this month.
MEDITATE. Set up a vase with fresh cut flowers from a local shop. Observe the flower, noticing the courage it took to bloom from the seed. In this state of contemplation and connection with a flower, soften your energy to meet the energy of the flower and find ways to enter that state of growth and beauty in other areas of your life this month.
BE OUTSIDE. Walk to a nearby community or botanical garden. Dedicate a morning or full day to spending time outside. You can organize a hike for yourself or with loved ones. And take in the cool spring air, noticing the ways the animals move gently, the buds are opening, or popping from the earth beneath… Notice the beginnings of newness in nature.
VISION. Pull out your art supplies and draw or collage a vision for yourself this year or in the next 5 years or 10 years. Tap into the energy of renewal, balance that is available to us on this day and ask yourself to bring the visions to paper. Invite friends or little ones to join you. Like journaling and meditation, visioning helps you identify the yearnings you held within and offers you a mirror to look at them again and again. Is it a trip you’ve been longing to take? A new relationship to establish? A new passion or hobby? Put the final Vision up somewhere you will see it daily.
ALTAR. An altar is a physical representation of its verb meaning. Altars are an ancient pathway to change or transform ourselves. Pick a space to honor your connection to SPRING. Place a candle(light) and fresh flowers(growth) on it. You are welcomed to get creative, and put these items on a cloth or shelf if you feel called. Gather power objects you wish to place on your springtime altar like stones, image, flowers, totems, a poem, or other items of beauty or inspiration. Spend time here every day noticing the ways spring energies are influencing you in new ways.
How do I shift my eating in Spring?
Spring is a season characterized by warmth (less cold), moisture, and a palpable softness. It is a season revered for its gentle, nurturing presence. Spring eating, invites a little extra lightness, sharpness, dryness, and heat into our lives to support our physiology in its natural process of springtime renewal and revitalization.
Ayurvedic principles suggest we structure our diet around eating lots of fresh (not necessarily raw) vegetables and a variety of legumes. These foods tend to be astringent and often somewhat bitter. We also benefit from eating lots of bitter greens, cabbage family vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), and spicy foods like green chilies during the spring season.
Alex Holiday, our BDC co-founder is a trained Ayurvedic Health practitioner. She has prepared suggested meals for our community to try in the Spring below. In addition to these recipes, its recommended to drink room temperature, warm, or hot beverages and avoid iced or chilled drinks, if possible. Increase heat and circulation while encouraging clean and clear respiratory passages by drinking a tea boiled for five minutes with ½ teaspoon each of dried ginger, cinnamon, and clove.
Spring Healing Recipe - Cinnamon, Turmeric and Ginger Tea (adapted from My Vegan Minimalist)
Ingredients:
1 piece of freshly grated, about the size of a large thumb
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp agave syrup or another sweetener
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cinnamon
500 ml water
A pinch of pepper
Instructions: Peel the ginger and grate it straight into your medium-sized pan. Add the rest of your ingredients (lemon juice, agave syrup, turmeric, cinnamon, pepper) to a pan. Pour 500ml of water into the pan. Heat up for about 4 minutes until you can see steam rising out of the pan. Make sure to keep whisking as this will help cinnamon & turmeric dissolve. Remove from heat and strain to remove any leftover ginger bits. Serve with an extra slice of fresh lemon and some ginger.
Spring Healing Recipe, Savory Golden Millet Cereal (adapted from Meredith Klein)
Ingredients:
3 tbsp millet
3 tbsp dried coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1⁄2 tsp ghee
1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds
1⁄4 tsp turmeric powder
3–4 fenugreek seeds or 1⁄2 tsp power
Salt
Greens such as kale, spinach, or dandelion
Almonds
Chopped Herbs like scallion, cilantro, dill
Avocado
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a small saucepan along with 11⁄2 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer cereal for 25–30 minutes, until the millet is thoroughly cooked and coconut is soft.
While cereal is cooking heat a little ghee in a pan and roast chopped almonds until golden brown. Remove almonds, and set aside. Sutee greens in the same pan as almonds. When cereal is cooked, assemble all ingredients, taste for seasoning, and enjoy! For extra protein, you could put an egg on top!
Spring Recipe- Black Lentils with Fennel in Golden Coconut Broth (adapted from Meredith Klein, Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 cup black lentils, rinsed
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 medium fennel bulbs, halved
lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons ghee
1⁄4 teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 teaspoon water
1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1⁄2 cup vegetable broth
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground fennel
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Fennel fronds, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions: Place lentils in a saucepan with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat to low and cover pot, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook lentils 15–17 minutes until just tender. Drain lentils and rinse with cool water, then set aside. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, then add shallots and fennel and sauté until vegetables are soft and begin to turn translucent, about 6–7 minutes. Add saffron and its soaking water, coconut milk and vegetable broth to the sautéed shallots and fennel. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and stir in cooked lentils, turmeric, fennel powder, hing and salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve lentils on top of individual servings of rice, topped with a sprinkle of fennel fronds.