Signs of Spring

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Dartington Snowdrops

Although Spring is late this year in my personal life, it is a great encouragement to see that the natural world is now full of change and new beginnings. I’m sure I am in good company here in Dartington, in having taken great pleasure in the clear blue skies (and sharp frosts) and warm sun over the last couple of days.

Our local walks are full of wonders…yesterday we were blessed to see a goldcrest in the wonderful flowering witch hazel walk at Dartington Gardens…. and later the same day we enjoyed a remarkably close encounter with a little blue tit in another witch hazel by a neighbour’s wall here in Week. I’ve also now seen my first open snowdrops (Dartington Gardens again) my first primrose and hazel catkins all dusty with golden pollen (both here in Week).

Blue Tit in a Witch Hazel at Week

In my meditations at present I am preparing for a guided meditation to form part of the next Wood Sisters day for Imbolc. I’ve been re-visiting the dark cave and deep source pool of the Cailleach that I started exploring before the Winter Solstice. The Cailleach’s power has now gone underground and she sits still as stone by the spring source, from which flows a small but steady stream of water. As I follow it to the cave entrance that opens into the early Spring sunshine, I find the opening completely blocked by dead branches. I’ve spent some time reflecting on how to respond to the obstacles and challenges in my inner and outer life as nothing I do seems to resolve or remove them. Today an image finally welled up in meditation as I found myself becoming a very small snail. All thoughts of grappling with difficulty dissolved and I simply and quietly slipped through a very small space in my insurmountable issues and left them behind…