The Positivity of Planting Bulbs

As we turn the corner into a New Year it can feel a time for reflection and intention setting - looking back on the year that has passed and considering what we want to bring into the one that lies ahead.

As I've mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of New Year's resolutions. Their tone can imply that a perfect version of ourselves lies ahead if only we tried hard enough.  In the space between Christmas and New Year when we may have been lucky enough to have had a bit of breathing space, so much feels possible, but inevitably life kicks back in and it's easy for unrealistic demands to slip.

Instead of a resolution to give up sugar, get to the gym, or become a perfect version of ourselves we might consider an intention of meeting ourselves with more gentleness and understanding regardless of what lies ahead; an intention to notice and savour what is good in our lives and both see and draw on the strength and support that helps us get through the difficult times. 

We can see these intentions as a guiding light that draws us back towards what is important to us, rather than a stick to beat ourselves with when we naturally veer from our path. The Pali word for mindfulness 'sati' means 'to remember'. I love this as our nature is so often to forget and fall into our habitual patterns. This is not failing. This is being human. 

But we can choose to remember, not just on the 1st of January, but whenever we need to in the year ahead, and we can practice (not perfect) being gentle and understanding with ourselves when we inevitably forget. 

For a number of years I had the pleasure of holding New Year retreats in Tilton House in Sussex (run by the lovely Shaun and Polly who now run Erth retreat centre in Cornwall where I will be hosting my next retreat in the spring!).

One of the things I loved about being there was that Polly always dotted the house with pots of spring bulbs. In the quiet, darkness of winter they filled the house with a sense of hope and promise for the energy and life that lay ahead but was currently out of sight. Their presence provided a visible reminder of the power of planting seeds in the quieter months and trusting that in tending to them regularly they will come to life when the warmer months return.

I have the same feeling when planting bulbs in my garden. I find comfort in knowing that while my garden looks pretty shocking at the moment, beneath the surface life is rooting downwards and reaching upwards towards the light, and spring flowers will push through when the time is right. 

Similarly, this time of year can provide an opportunity to think about what seeds we wish to plant, what ideas and intentions we wish to grow. We don't have to give them our full energy just now while our energy is low, but we can plant small seeds in the winter months and water them regularly, drawing hope from the fact that they will be there for us when the warmer months return.