Flowers and Rebirth: It's Spring!

​Last week, while driving home, I was awed as I viewed the wild blossoming trees that line the road and herald early spring here in the Willamette Valley. Brought to mind was the story of Demeter and Persephone. The trees in their blossoming beauty reflect Demeter's great joy when her daughter Persephone returns to her after living in the underworld with Hades, her husband for the winter months. I share this story with you here.
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Demeter, the goddess of grain and agriculture, had a beautiful daughter Persephone whom she loved abundantly. One day, while Persephone was out with her friends gathering flowers, Hades, god of the underworld, saw Persephone and fell in love with her. He devised a way to capture her so swiftly no one had any idea where she had gone to or what had happened to her.

Demeter was sick with worry and immeasurable grief. She searched long and far for her daughter to no avail. Her grief was so great that the crops and plants began to wither and die. A terrible famine gripped the earth. Demeter's husband Zeus became disturbed by this and instructed her to ask Helios the sun god, who sees all that goes on, what had happened. When she learned that Hades had captured her daughter she became very angry and demanded that Zeus get their daughter back.
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Zeus commanded Hades to release Persephone. Hades reluctantly agreed. But while Persephone was in the underworld she ate some pomegranate seeds and the law is that if one takes of food in the underworld, one can never leave. So a bargain was struck, Persephone was permitted to return to the surface and her mother for a part of the year but she would have to return to the underworld for part of the year.

When Persephone returns to the surface and her mother Demeter, Demeter is overjoyed and the world bursts into the flowers and fragrances of spring and the fulfillment of summer and harvest. And then, after the harvest, Persephone returns to the underworld as its Queen and again, Demeter goes into mourning and the cold of winter descends once again upon the earth.

​To the Greeks, the return of Persephone from the underworld symbolized the return of life in the spring. On the surface, I think this is a lovely way to reflect upon the tides of the seasons. But, I also think the story holds a deeper reflection. It is a story of the call to retreat when our inner life needs tending when healing asks for our attention. A time of personal struggle can feel like a winter, a dark night of the Soul. It can feel like a cold time, a dark time, a time of grief and sorrow. The story also promises us, that our trials and tribulations will pass and we will emerge into life renewed, a flowering within and without, a rebirth. 

I ask you, Dear Reader, do you find yourself anywhere within this story? Are you feeling the  deep grief of loss? Is something calling to you, nagging you from within, that wants your attention? Are you in the dark night of sorting out some part of yourself? Or do you feel the call of spring in your life? Do you have parts of your life that are flowering, showing new life? Are you in any way emerging, returning to the ever welcoming arms of Life, to live renewed in the world?

Consider reflecting about this within your written journal. And, if you care to share your story with me, I'd love to hear from you.
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​​"There is a time for every season under heaven."

There is a cycle of change marked by four stages that we pass through as we journey and grow through our lives. Change is precipitated by a challenging event in our lives, which can be either sought after or come as a surprise blow. Within this first stage of change we navigate what is known as the Death and Rebirth cycle as something leaves us and we adapt to the new. As we come to some sort of peace or reconciliation about the change in our lives we enter into a time of Dreaming and Scheming where we begin to breath more easily, look ahead and feel a creative flow. After that comes the Heroes Saga, where we put our dreams and schemes, our ideas to the test and roll them out with activity. And as we successfully navigate success in the Heroes Journey we come to a time when we are living in the groove of accomplishment and we experience the joy of a satisfying life.
 

As a coach, I help people navigate change.
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I acknowledge and thank Martha Beck and her staff for teaching "The Cycle of Change" in her coach training. You can read more about it in her book: "Finding Your Own North Star."
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Peace and Love,

​Janhavi