At last it feels like Spring has arrived with bright blue skies, and in East Suffolk we’ve had wall to wall sunshine for a couple of days now. What a joy! The early mornings have still been jolly cold; my beautiful winter hellebore certainly didn't like the overnight frost! And one morning I actually delayed going out as I really didn't feel like scraping the ice from the car.
But it’s been a wonderful tonic to be outside in the sunshine and I’ve really enjoyed walking the footpath across the reed marshes from Snape Maltings to Iken church or along the sea wall at Aldeburgh without being blasted by icy rain and wind.
Spring is most definitely in the air and with that can come the energy of new beginnings. And in the spring, it’s common to think about ‘spring cleaning’ whether it’s clearing out clutter or refreshing our home. I’m always reminded of Mole in The Wind in the Willows!
And maybe you could use this spring energy to re-vitalise your meditation practice? Actually using the uplift in energy to sit down in the first place and giving some time to your practice. Or perhaps you could try something a bit different – maybe exploring a different sort of meditation or changing up the place that you meditate?
I usually meditate inside early in the morning and then again later in the afternoon. My practice is most often mantra and chanting but yesterday I experienced something a bit different for me.
I had meditated at home already but having had a few difficult weeks and suffering with a sore throat and cold, I just wanted to be outside, by the sea, in the sunshine.
It was glorious. I didn’t even walk but was drawn straight down to the water’s edge. This was not a day for swimming; for me that's a summer pleasure! But I lay down, well wrapped up in my hat, coat and scarf – the sea breeze can be very chilly. I sank down into the pebbles and closed my eyes.
Then I simply and consciously relaxed, connecting with the experience of the senses – the feel of the ground beneath me, the warmth of the sun on my face and hands, the rhythmic sound of the waves, the sensations and movements in my body, the emotions playing. Some thoughts fluttered by and passed on. I really connected. And it was blissful. A mindful moment in time.
After about 20 minutes, I sat up and looked around at the sea, the blue sky, the sunlight glinting on the water and watched the seagulls dipping and soaring above. I spent a few moments in gratitude for the beautiful things in life. Then I got up and drove home.
I was later reminded of the beautiful passage in The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn when she talks about the concept from Celtic spirituality, ‘your thin place’. The idea of a place where the barrier between now and beyond is thinner, where you're closer to God.
When we meditate, our minds can quieten and this may create space for deeper reflection and rest. This stillness can enable us to reconnect with our true selves and access clarity.
So, whether we’re setting new intentions, being mindful, practising gratitude, or simply enjoying the stillness, spring seems like a good time to embrace transformation and open ourselves up to new experiences. Enjoy!
Catherine Thomlinson
4/3/25