Today is celebrated as the first day of spring in India, marked by the festival of Basant Panchami.
As the sunlight grows stronger and the air gets warmer, spring brings a sense of ‘getting a move on’, of shaking off that hibernal lethargy of the cold winter months and starting to plan for action again. Spring brings a sense of possibility. All of nature is in preparation mode for the fruits and flowers it hopes to present the world with in the summer.
Today, the Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of learning, knowledge, arts, music, who is the female creative principle, is worshipped (I’ve written before about the worship of the feminine principle in India – The Divine Mother). It is an important time to remind ourselves of the immense possibilities life holds and to aspire towards our finer nature and creativity.
Revering knowledge on this day seems fitting given the vast possibilities of spring. Possibilities arise only when we don’t limit ourselves. Spiritually, it implies not limiting oneself to one’s physicality (what the five senses perceive)Â and logic. Acknowledging that we don’t really know anything about this magnificent existence. Then the possibilities of knowing open up. And we ask to receive the right knowledge.
With nature undergoing changes at this time of the year, we should do the same and strive to open up to the Spring of possibilities.
Springing to life
Like new cherry blossoms on old branches:
If not with something new,
Then at least with a sense of new in the old.
Opening to spring and possibilities is always good! 🙂 How is this the beginning of spring? I thought India was in the middle/ late summer being in the Southern Hemisphere.
Hi Brad, India is very much in thr northern hemisphere! It doesn’t get as cold here as Europe/US so by early Feb we get into the start of spring 🙂
Oops! I need to refresh my geography.
Hi Shruti, I have nominated you for the Mystery Blogger Award. Check out my latest post for more information.☺
Thank you so much, I feel honoured! 🙂
☺
It’s much easier to unraestdnd when you put it that way!
Thanks, I’m glad!