[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you want to start anew, spring is a solid bet. Sure it comes hand-in-hand with pollen and mixed signals from the weather gods.
But you can't deny the buds popping up everywhere, a clear sign that life is moving forward in a bright and bold way.
Why not join the fun and sense of purpose? Spring is such a big deal, cultures across the globe celebrate it.
Spring Traditions: Find Your Way to Welcome the Season
Easter egg hunts and egg rolls
If you live in the U.S., the spring practice you hear about most and have readiest access to is the good ol' Easter egg hunt. You don't have to bow to its religious roots (Easter: Christ has risen) to participate, though the devout among us surely bristle at how the holiday has been co-opted.
Nonetheless, on Easter Sunday or a day near it, kids (and
adults!) flock to parks and municipal grounds across the country, looking for treats in plain view and those craftily hidden.
A famous American Easter egg tradition is the White House Easter Egg Roll, though it's harder to join than what your rec department hosts; you’ve got to nab a spot through a
lottery.
The tradition started in the 1870s when kiddos rolled themselves down the Capitol grounds right along with eggs. The rolling mucked up the grounds, which prompted a tug of war between lawmakers who wanted to ban and not ban the rolling. Then in 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes
issued an order declaring that if any child came to the White House to roll their Easter eggs, they'd be allowed to.
The tradition has continued ever since — and is now the largest annual event at the White House. It includes rolling eggs, finding hidden eggs, live entertainment and a bunch of other activities that make a day of it all.
Nowruz
Here's a spring ritual close to my heart: Nowruz. Countries throughout the Middle East and Asia celebrate it as a way to mark the start of spring: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
But it's most often associated with Persian culture, the one I know best. It's also an extremely
old tradition, one that dates back to at least the 6th century BC.
Nowruz occurs on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, usually March 21. It marks the start of a new year (the Persian calendar is not the same as the one on your smartphone).
This makes it a time of cleansing and celebration: People clean their homes and belongings, cleanse their souls of sins and vengeance, and renew their intentions of good deed. They say good riddance to the yuck of the year past by jumping over small fires. They welcome the new year by wearing new clothes, visiting each other, giving cash gifts and eating certain tasty foods and sweets.
Festivities last for nearly two weeks, culminating on the 13
th day with a big picnic — under the spring sun, with any luck.
How to create your own healthy spring tradition
Sticking to well-established customs creates a sense of belonging and purpose. But you can get as much or more from devising your own rituals because you're crafting them to match your unique needs and aspirations.
1. Define
Spring customs the world over are built around community.
What's your community? Perhaps it's your family. Maybe it's friends. Maybe it's the people who live on your street or in your building.
Decide how you want to define “community,” so you have a framework, and then be sure everyone is on board.
2. Take stock
If you already participate in spring traditions — or rites that take place during spring (Ramadan and Passover come to mind ) — consider why you partake. Habit? A deep abiding of your history? Honoring a new phase in your life?
Consider what you get out of the practice. If it's not serving you the way you believe it should, ask yourself if stepping away or altering it is better for you.
3. Create
Now's the fun part: You get to create a tradition or alter one you already have. Nobody but you and your community get to say how it looks. Time-honored rituals can serve as inspiration though:
Vibe off the universe
Many traditions are based on seasons and calendars. Spring is a beautiful time to consider the sun and what comes with it: life!
The spring equinox
tradition in Teotihuacán, Mexico puts the sun front and center. Historically, people traveled to Teotihuacán, and then climbed one of the world's largest pyramids there to get closer to the sun, in order to absorb its power.
- What does the sun's energy mean for you and your community?
- What have you let go dormant that needs resurrection?
Do a do-over
Spring is a time of rebirth, and a rebirth is a second chance. Witness Nowruz: jumping over the flame to symbolically burn off the bad and bring in the good.
- What should you leave behind?
- How can you do that?
You don't need to jump over fire. Cleaning out a physical space — which also happens during Nowruz — is a perfect way to literally rid yourself of the unwanted so that you have space to take on something of use (which, by the way, may not have revealed itself yet). But think outside the box; there are many ways to clear the slate.
Set a date (and stick to it)
Traditions become traditions through repetition.
Decide when yours should be. It can last for as little or as long as you want.
Then stick to it, knowing you can tweak it and its duration — faithful adherence does good only when what you’re following truly is right for you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="173812" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1711129525247{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/mrs-meyers-clean-day-multi-surface-starter-kit-spray-bottle-2-concentrated-refills-lemon-verbena"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="173813" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1711129544227{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/renew-life-adult-cleanse-3-day-total-body-reset-2-part-program"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="173811" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1711129560615{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/aura-cacia-home-care-essential-oil-blend-main-squeeze"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
