Hope and Despair

Signs of Hope in Nature

We enter into the middle of March the signs of hope are everywhere. Brilliant blossoms emerging, attentive daffodils stand on parade, lime green buds shooting upwards and outwards towards the warming lengthening light. Our longing for an end to the winter is now in plain sight, greeting us with ambitious colour and new life.

Desperate to Move On

Our natural environment might display its optimistic greens however we may struggle to feel hopeful and encouraged with buoyant expectancy when we as a nation still grapple with the ongoing effects of the coronavirus. Restricted we are unable to look forward and plan our lives as we would hope to, we may feel more obstructed than before. This is the season of the Wood Element and the energetics of Spring is to grow, move, awaken, look forwards and plan our destined year ahead.

Injustice and Frustration

On top of our restriction we might feel further outrage and despair with any one aspect of the news at late. With current events we may feel heartbreaking despair within our society, at it’s injustice and discouraging unfairness. As doomed as it may seem, we may have to look outward for signs of hope, as we would to the green shoots pushing up against the soil. Activism, protesting and demonstrating bringing awareness and awakening into our society, illuminating unjust behaviours and pushing for change.

Anger and Assertion

The energy of the Wood element in Spring resonates with emotional energy of both anger and assertion. Both are a dynamic force for direct expression for what is fair and just and a push towards change. Anger, frustration and irritation when channelled is a powerful activator to stand up for what we believe in and assert ourselves confidently. This action alone is in of itself hopeful and promising.

Apathy

Anger can also implode when we feel overly discouraged for too long, we can start to feel depressed and resigned, bringing about low mood, apathy and a sense of hopelessness. We may also feel resistance to motivate and push forward.

The strong force of anger can become suppressed, stagnating into a festering frustration. It’s here, we can use our rage filled voice to scream out our tempered vexations into a chunky cushion or alone into the wild outdoors. It’s recommended a hand full of hollering will raise stagnant imploded doom to the surface. In this space we may fill more inspired to look forward, move and express ourselves appropriately.

Like the new growth during Spring, the energy of anger is an outward expression, it asks us to embody our frustration, vent and take action.

Attuning Ourselves to Spring Energy

Moving heartily by walking, hiking or running activates the muscle and the energetic meridians, drawing up and out Winter’s quiet stillness onto the surface of the body. We may feel the need to move more dynamically in a variety of ways, perhaps with a yoga class, strengthening with weights or boxing exercises.

We can also attune ourselves into this season and release resignation or irritation by expressing ourselves fully, whether that’s to a friend, therapist, journal, email, letter or directly to the person, company or institution that has aggrieved us.

Witnessing nature’s annual awakening can inspire hope, here we can also resonate with Spring’s forceful charge to help push us to make the changes we need to move forward towards a new life.