Throw open the window of your soul
March is a liminal month. Dust off the winter. Dance, Vent, Release
Dear Friends Old and New and Becoming,
Last week’s post about Hope resonated and many of your shared responses to the prompt with me; I am grateful! You can read Karen and Ava’s messages to Hope at the bottom of the post; their words lifted my spirit. (If you’re new to Journey With The Seasons this week, you can find all previous readings and prompts in the archive.)
March is a liminal month in our considering the seasons as archetypes. In like a Lion and out like a Lamb. The month of spring’s arrival. March ushers in holy seasons across various faith traditions. Going back further in time, earth-based folks celebrated light and darkness being in perfect balance on the Spring Equinox.
If winter is a time for dreaming, for rejuvenation and return, entering spring is a shift. New life emerging from the depths—in the physical world and in the realm of consciousness.
Before the fullness of spring’s arrival, March offers us festivals to shake off the dust of winter in a raucous, embodied way. We dance in the streets for Mardi Gras. In the Jewish tradition, we reenact the ancient tale of Esther by dressing in costumes, shouting down our fears, throwing carnivals for children, eating pastries that originated as fertility symbols and getting drunk. Think about the energy of March Madness basketball, too. All kinds of ways to gather, dance, laugh, scream—release the old, welcome the new.
In the Purim story, it’s not Esther but the first Queen Vashti who’s always captured my heart. There she is, having her own gathering of women when the King demands that she come and entertain at his party. There are commentaries that suggest he meant for her to dance for the men with nothing on but her crown.
Though the hierarchy she lived in narrowly defined her role as subordinate to the King, the day came when Queen Vashti refused to go along with the script. Refused to leave her party. Refused to demean herself. Refused to define herself in relationship to his will.
It was a revolutionary act, I think, and so on this first week in March, Queen Vashti inspires our writing prompt and reflection.
You can listen to this brilliant song about Queen Vashti, written by my amazing friend Margot and her creative collaborators.
Writing Practice:
Set aside 5-7 minutes for this practice. Write in a journal or open a ‘Journey with The Season’ document where you can return each Sunday.
Make a list of anything weighing you down right now. These may be external or internal things; patterns, fears, worries.
Look over your list and select one thing that draws your attention. Write about that one.
What would it look like—just for today—to respond differently to your (fear/worry/pattern)?
To get you started writing, try these phrases:
Things I want to release from the winter are…
Letting go of this (fear/concern/pattern) feels like…
More and more, I hope to release…
Deepening Practice:
Queen Vashti changed her reality by making a different choice. Write a story about your liberation. Put yourself in the role of hero. Stand up to whatever holds you back.
Remember—in stories, we can do anything.
Please comment or email me at gabriellekm@gmail.com with what arises for you.
Word of mouth is the primary way that I’m growing this community. Send today's message to a friend who might appreciate it!
On March 21st, I’m holding a free live Spring Equinox Writing Circle over zoom. It’s gonna be fun! You can register here.
If you’re interested in joining my next online expressive writings series Soulful Spring, registration is now open. We'll explore our own transformations in the season of awakening, beauty and rebirth. An amazing community is forming.