The Dancing Oracle - Episode 12 - Dancing with the Seasons

Episode Summary:

In episode twelve of the Spiritual Dance Podcast, Carla shares her methods for dancing with the seasons by embodying the energy of the equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarter days in the Wheel of the Year.

Episode Transcript:

INTRO: Welcome to the Spiritual Dance Podcast. A virtual space for creative souls discovering how to move in sync with the rhythm of spirit. I’m your host Carla White Crowe, also known as The Dancing Oracle. In this podcast, I share openly about my journey of weaving together my two primary passions - spirituality and dance. My intention is to encourage and inspire spiritual seekers in pursuit of a more embodied form of spirituality as well as provide insight and tools for those seeking to expand their creative edges in service to the world of spirit.

Welcome back, friends. Last month I talked about the concept of dancing with the moon and how we can align our lives with the lunar cycle to support personal growth and manifestation.

This month we are going to look at another cycle, one that is connected to our planet’s journey around the sun. This cycle creates fluctuations in the amount of light we receive from the sun over the course of a year which has a direct impact on our weather patterns. The change in weather patterns results in what we call “seasons”. And these seasons correspond to the death and rebirth cycle of our natural world. They also point to the timing of annual activities such as the planting and harvesting of crops.

Engaging in seasonal activities helps us anchor ourselves to the physical world. The seasons can also offer us wisdom on a spiritual level. Establishing a conscious connection to this cycle is a powerful grounding practice that helps us to flow with our natural surroundings. When we allow ourselves the freedom to move WITH the seasonal energy instead of against it, we may find it easier to achieve our goals and also prevent burnout in the process

Throughout this episode, I will be referencing certain holidays (or what some refer to as sabbats or fire festivals) that are a part of something called the “Wheel of the Year.” I will touch on this briefly, but for the most part, this episode is focused on looking at the seasons from an astronomical and astrological perspective. If you are interested in learning more about the historical background and cultural traditions of the Wheel of the Year, I have many articles on my blog about that and I will link those in the show notes at the bottom of this episode’s transcript.

Alright, so, astronomically speaking, there are four important points that we recognize as the Earth orbits around the sun:

First, we have the solstices which happen twice a year when the earth is at its maximum tilt either toward or away from the sun. The summer solstice is when we receive the peak amount of sunlight available to us, resulting in the longest day of the year. The winter solstice is when we receive the least amount of light possible from the sun, giving us our longest night of the year.

Spiritually speaking, the summer solstice represents a point of culmination. It’s a chance to acknowledge and celebrate our work thus far. Whereas the winter solstice is a time of laying things to rest and retreating to a place of quiet and stillness.

And then we have the equinoxes. These occur at the halfway point between the solstices resulting in an equal amount of darkness and light in our day. The spring (or the vernal) and autumn equinox are named for their respective seasons.

Spiritually speaking, equinoxes represent a time of balance and harmony. As we progress forward from these days, nature’s energy will begin to wax or wane, depending on the season and also the hemisphere you’re located in. The spring equinox marks a point of acceleration and momentum as we head for the brightest part of the year. The autumn equinox represents a time of deceleration and preparation for rest and renewal during the darker part of the year.

Many people, including myself, also celebrate what are called cross-quarter days which are the halfway points between the equinoxes and solstices. These cross-quarter days are:

Imbolc: which is the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox that occurs when the sun is at 15 degrees of Aquarius in the northern hemisphere. If you’re in the southern hemisphere then it would be the opposite zodiac sign so 15 degrees of Leo. This seasonal shift calls us to awaken from our winter slumber and prepare for the coming spring. The Aquarian energy present in this moment inspires us to dream up a new vision and think logically about our plans for the months that lie ahead of us. It is a time of symbolically planting the seeds of our intentions and allowing them to begin receiving the energy of the sun.

Beltane: is the mid-point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice that occurs when the sun is at 15 degrees of Taurus. It is a kind of portal into the season of summer. Beltane represents a time of fertility and abundance when we are experiencing the peak of spring. The Taurus energy present in this moment invites us to slow down and engage our senses - to take joy in connecting with the tangible pleasures all around us. In this moment, the earth is showing off as evidenced by all of the bright colors seen in flowering plants and trees.

Lammas or Lughnasadh (depending on your specific tradition) is the mid-point between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox that occurs when the sun is at 15 degrees of Leo. This represents a time of making the most of the peak of the sun’s energy, drinking up every last drop of sunshine before our descent into the darker half of the year. The energy of Leo invites us to make the most of this bright moment in time. To take up space, live boldly, and celebrate the fruits of your labor.

Samhain: is the mid-point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice and occurs when the Sun is at 15 degrees of Scorpio. It is a portal into the season of Winter and a time many use to honor their ancestors. For those who are tuned in, you’ll feel the thinning of the veil between the physical and spiritual realms making the magick of this season feel super potent. During Samhain, the physical world around us is dying, and there is a collective acknowledgment of the shadow side of our world. This is my favorite day of the year, a day of honoring the ethereal and surrendering to something greater than ourselves.

The equinoxes, the solstices, and the four mid-point days (or cross-quarter days) make up what’s called the “Wheel of the Year.” This phrase refers to an annual seasonal calendar that has its roots in Celtic paganism. The Wheel of the Year grew in popularity around the 1950s due to the influence of Ross Nichols, the founder of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, and Gerald Gardner, the father of modern Wicca (which is a religious path focused on witchcraft).

I began working with the Wheel of the Year in 2019 when I was transitioning into a more nature-based spiritual path. It provided a beautiful, cyclical framework for honoring the seasonal shifts we experience during each rotation around the sun and for cultivating a conscious connection with the natural world. Living my life in sync with the rhythms of the natural world reminds me to check in with the things that need structure, things that need tended to, and the things that need composted in my life.

If you’ve checked out my blog, then you’ve probabaly seen some of the articles I’ve written about the different celebrations I recognize as someone who works with the Wheel of the Year. But now let’s talk about how I weave dance and movement into each of these sacred moments in my annual calendar…

There are many different approaches you could take and I just kind of follow my intuition and go with what feels right as the wheel turns. One approach is to divide the year in half and apply the principle of polarity creating a lighter half (or yang) part of the year where we work with solar energy and a darker half (or yin) part of the year where we work with lunar energy.

Please note that there are a lot of different schools of thought on when the lighter half of the year begins. Celtic traditions believed the lighter part of the year started at Beltane while the darker part of the year started on Samhain. Some consider Yule as the start of the lighter half of the year because the sun’s energy moves from waning to waxing on that day. As an astrologer, I prefer to think of the Spring Equinox as the beginning of the brighter half of the year, because it accompanies the start of Aries season, which literally calls us to take action by embodying solar energy. But also, from an astronomical perspective, an equinox marks the beginning of a six-month period where we move from an equal amount of light and dark in the sky toward having more or less light (depending on which side of the wheel you’re on).

So from the Spring Equinox to the Autumn Equinox, I tend to focus on exploring dance and movement practices that are yang or solar in nature. This translates into movement that displays an outward focus of energy, an exploration of my external surroundings, and making connections with people, places, or things that I encounter. During the lighter part of the year, I work with solar dance practices such as conscious dance to explore my potential, prayer dance to petition the divine, prophetic dance to share spiritual messages, and shamanic dance to partner with the land spirits or ancestors for healing and transformation. The common theme among these different types of dance are that they are initiating a connection to or with something outside of yourself.

Whereas the movement practices I work with during the darker part of the year (from the Autumn Equinox to the Spring Equinox) would be yin or lunar in nature. We can embody the energy of this season by moving in a receptive manner, allowing energy to flow inward. Yin movement expresses what’s going on inside of you, allowing space for deep internal reflection. In the darker part of the year, I work with channeled movement to receive messages from spirit, intuitive movement to receive messages from my higher self, and somatic movement to receive messages from my physical body. I also work with psychic dance exercises to strengthen my intuitive abilities as this is a great time for connecting with unseen energy.

Working with the Wheel of the Year using the concept of polarity is just one approach. There are many other ways you could work with this calendar using dance and movement. Let’s look at the topic of energetic modality:

Earlier when I discussed the four cross-quarter days, I mentioned their connection to the months ruled by Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. These four zodiac signs are considered to be fixed in nature. Fixed energy asks us to partner with what has already begun, to look and listen to what is happening around and find ways to sustain or bring that work to completion. To connect with each of these seasons in a kinetic manner - I create and practice movement meditations that I can repeat over and over to really immerse myself in the energy of the moment.

For example:

Beltane falls in the middle of Taurus season which represents fixed earth energy, so my movement meditation for this season would be connected to the ground, slow, methodical, and sensual
Lughnasadh falls in the middle of Leo season which represents fixed fire energy, so my movement meditation would be anchored yet expansive, and contain movements that rise up and press outward with strength and passion
Samhain falls in the middle of Scorpio season which represents fixed water energy, so my movement meditation would be focused on stirring and descending movements initiated by the hips
Imbolc falls in the middle of Aquarius season which represents fixed air energy, so my movement meditation would be focused on weaving a symmetrical tapestry with my arms and hands in the space around me

And by the way, if you want to understand how I came up with these kinetic correspondences, check out episode nine titled “Astrology for Dancers” or pick up a copy of my book on Dance Divination.

During the cross-quarters, I also meditate on my role in the larger scheme of things as well the wisdom being offered to us in the natural world during each of those times. If I can, I’ll try to make a point to be present in my community or on the land I inhabit so I can see what’s already happening and listen for ways I can contribute.

In contrast, solstices and equinoxes invite us to take action in a specific area of our lives. To look at the direction our life is moving on a macro level and plan a course of action for moving forward. Each of those four main points on our annual solar calendar corresponds to a zodiac sign with a cardinal modality which are: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. The cardinal modality carries with it a burst of energy and represents an initiation. Cardinal signs inspire us to take action or begin something new. They also usher us in to our four seasons of Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall.

The Summer Solstice (also known as Midsummer or Litha) happens at zero degrees of Cancer. Cancer is a cardinal water sign. This season supports our connection to nurture home and family. It is a time of abundance where we can give freely and celebrate with those we love. It’s no coincidence that summer break is when kids are home from school for an extended amount of time. Cancer season is great for initiating activities that strengthen your bonds with your loved ones and the land you inhabit. To work with this energy in your dance practices, you could perform shapes and sequences that initiate a strong connection to your emotional nature - encircling that which you long to nurture and protect. This might include circular motions that draw well-defined boundaries, shielding movements that pull from the outside in, swirling energy within the chest, and nurturing touch.

The Autumn Equinox (also known as Mabon) happens at zero degrees of Libra. Libra is a cardinal air sign. This season brings a focus to our roles and relationships - but in the context of a seasonal calendar, Libra asks us to think about our relationship with the land we inhabit. Air energy helps us to identify and communicate about areas of imbalance and disharmony, so we can set things right. To work with this energy in your dance practices you could experiment with assertive motions that are directional yet elegant, and explore shapes that embody both power and grace. On the Autumn Equinox, I make every effort to find a tree that is calling to me and mirror its energy in my physical body. To me, this type of active listening offers deep wisdom that I can dwell on throughout the darker half of the year. Of course, this could be done with any plant, I just happen to adore trees.

The Winter Solstice happens at zero degrees of Capricorn. Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign. This season is great for thinking about what we want to build to support our legacy and how we want to be remembered long after we’ve left this realm. To explore this energy in your body I would begin on the floor or focused on your feet firmly anchored to the ground beneath you. Then I would work with shapes and sequences that are kept close to your body that depict the building of some sort of structure or container big enough to hold your long-term vision. Understanding that by being deeply rooted in the earth, you can grow steadily toward the sun in a sustainable manner.

The Spring Equinox happens at zero degrees of Aries. Aries is a cardinal fire sign. This season supports your self-expression and self-actualization. Nature is getting ready to explode onto the scene and so can you! The primal spark of this moment is tangible. Allow it to ignite your desire to make things happen and leave your mark on this world. To embody this energy, select movements that display strength and courage, and don’t be afraid to take up space. Focus on shapes and sequences that are bold and expansive. Tap into your wild side and get loud if you need to. Let the world see you, like literally if you can. Dance out in the open, or online if need be.

So these are some ideas you can use for working with the energy of each point in the Wheel of the Year. But I want to offer one more point of view and process that’s a little more intuitive.

Because the Wheel of the Year originated in a particular part of the world, it’s very likely that the traditions, customs, and especially the correspondences of the natural world will be very different for you in your location. To me, the point of working with the Wheel of the Year is to be present and establish a connection with nature. So it makes sense that paying attention to the plants, trees, and animals in your part of the world can help you tune in to what nature is communicating to the people in your area.

So how can you do that? I think the simplest way is to go for a walk. Notice what’s blooming, notice what’s dying. Pay attention to the farms in your community - what’s being planted, what’s being harvested?

I would also point you back to my three-step process that I shared in episode five called the 3R’s. Try working through these three movement prompts outside, in nature if at all possible:

The first R (step one) is to RECEIVE - to listen to the messages being shared with you from your natural surroundings and as you take in that information, allow your body to respond in whatever way it wants to, without any judgment.
The second R (and step two) is REFLECT - this is where you repeat any movement messages that came through that felt significant so you can take a deeper look at them.
And the last R (step three) is to RESPOND - this is an offering of your own movement back to the natural world.

You can repeat this process as many times as you want, creating a beautiful, cyclical dialogue with nature.

The most practical way to begin working with each of these seasonal celebrations is to mark the eight astrological dates in your calendar and set aside some time on each of those days to be in nature and record the things you see. Take note of what is blooming, what rising up from the ground, what is dying, and any insect or animal activity you see.

You can look these dates up in any astrological calendar or astrology app. I’m a big fan of the TimePassages app. Or if you join my free Patreon community, I will share a link to a document I created that lists each of these dates for you.

The next step I would recommend would be working with my 3R process that I just described. You can also learn more about that process by listening to episode five of my podcast titled “Developing a Spiritual Dance Practice.” And, I also have a free PDF guide which breaks down the 3R process in detail. You can access that through my free Patreon community or by signing up for my monthly newsletter, and again the links for those things are in the show notes.

Also, on my YouTube channel, I have a few free movement meditations you can use for the winter and summer solstices. And, if you are part of my dark moon tier in the lunar rhythms dance community, I will be sharing in-depth movement meditations for the spring and autumn equinoxes.

And that is everything I have for you all this month, I will catch you in the next episode.

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Episode 12 - Dancing with the Seasons

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