The Feel of Early Spring

by Glen Tepke

Early spring is a sensual experience of the grandest scale. As the days grow longer, there is a feeling of change in the air. In northern climes, the sun begins to warm your skin despite the winter chill that remains.  Most everywhere, the beginning of spring is marked by the natural alterations of the ecology -- the budding of trees, the early flowers breaking through the ground, the sound of birds singing, even the changing smells of the land. Spring is simply one of the great wonders of nature, and it is made possible by the incredible interplay between the earth and sun.

Yachaks  in Ecuador

Spring is indeed an experience of the senses, intimately linked to our sense of self as well our communal spirit.  From Easter celebrations to druidic rituals, all cultures, in one way or another, have imbued the dynamic arc of the sun across the sky with purpose and meaning.

NASA Image Earth and Sun

It is a time when days turn longer than night -- a central moment in all solar calendars. The relationship between sun and earth governs the amount of solar energy any given place receives, and in turn, the sunshine waxes, nudging the patterns of clouds, wind and rain towards nourishment. Spring is a time of blossom, of planting crops, and of new life.





The vernal equinox inspires feelings of renewal and rebirth for the land -- it does for us as well. It is a time to reexamine our lives, to clean and purge ourselves of the old and make room for the new.  It is a time for spring cleaning.