The power of a pause

As I write this, we’re a few days past the moment of the Spring Equinox. The moment where the length of day and night are equal. Where there is perfect balance between light and dark. 

I think of it as a moment of stillness. A bit like the stillness that exists in the natural pause at the end of each exhale, before the inhale begins. 

And for me, that moment of stillness is an invitation to pause.

To step back from the day-to-day, into a space of awareness.

And from that space, to observe and reflect on my experiences - my thoughts, my feelings, my actions - over the past few months, with greater clarity.

To reflect on where I’m at with the seeds of intention I’ve planted and nurtured over the darker winter months: are they still aligned with the direction I want to be heading in? are they growing and thriving? 

To notice anything that no longer serves me that I’m ready to let go of: what is holding me back from allowing my intentions to really grow and bloom? is there anything that no longer aligns with where I want to be heading?

And to get clear on where I want to be heading over the coming months: are there new seeds of intention I want to plant? are there actions I can take that will help my intentions to thrive?

I think of the “official”, astronomical moment of Equinox, of day and night being in balance, as being a nudge. A reminder to pause. To step back. To observe and reflect.

And, for me, whether you do that on the actual day of the Equinox or not, isn’t important.

What is important is to take up the invitation to lean into the energy of balance, to connect with the sense of a pause, that this Equinox time of year brings with it. 

And one of the things I also love about the Spring Equinox is that the pause we are in is also a threshold. 

From that threshold, I can take a moment to look back on and honour the darker, stiller times of Winter. To be grateful for the opportunity it has given me to slow down, to reflect, and to recharge. 

And then I can turn and look forward, to welcome the lighter, more active time of Spring that I am about to step into. I can celebrate the return of the light, and the opportunity ahead of me to pick up the pace, to take action, and to energise.

The moment, or portal, of the Equinox, is an invitation to pause and reflect, so we can get clear on where we are heading.

And this whole season of Spring that we are now stepping into is an invitation to move, to take the actions that we know will move us in the direction we want to be heading.

There is no “right” or “wrong” way to engage with the Spring Equinox. 

Listen to and learn to trust your intuition: that deeper, truer part of you that is so often buried beneath the many roles and identities you have taken on as you’ve moved through life. 

Tune into and connect with the natural world around you: really notice the flowers, the trees, the birds, the wildlife - and follow their lead, as they rise and expand into greater abundance.

Let go of any expectations around what you “should” do. Release any attachment to how your celebration of Spring will look, or feel.

Just like the arrival of each season through the year,

Just like the Full Moon each month,

Just like the rising of the sun each day,

Spring Equinox is simply an invitation. A nudge. A reminder.

To pause. 

To reflect.

And then - to act.