Your March Equinox: Rebirth or Renewal?
The March Equinox has just arrived and many are still in the process of ringing in the new year. Some of you may have started to feel a shift in energy since February, if not now. This shift symbolizes a transitionary phase. No matter where you are on the globe, the Equinox signals a new season, one that may be meeting you with an influx of emotions and decisions to make.
As exciting as all this sounds, ease into your new season. You have time to accomplish your tasks. There’s no rush in making decisions. Allow your body to tell you when it’s time to make a certain move. Be open to the whispers of your Spirit family nudging you in a specific direction. Notice where and when your Light illuminates. Follow what calls for you.
Keep reading for tips on how to tend your nervous system while navigating through the beginning of your new season, identify the difference between a rebirth and renewal, plus dedicated journal prompts for this theme.
Rebirth
Initially a caterpillar, one that was brave enough to undergo chrysalis. Trusting in a process it hadn’t experienced yet knew this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity promised something unregrettable.
This is the Rebirth.
When you go through a rebirth, you emerge out of darkness with a completely reimagined identity. To some, it may seem like you’ve “changed” or are unrecognizable. In reality, you’re just so much more comfortable in the skin of who you’ve always been but have hidden. “Change” is an outsider’s perspective. It’s true, but only from that lens. What’s really happening is that you’re revealing your core self and this is your authentic nature.
A rebirth feels like a new lease on life. A new chapter. This “butterfly” version of you did a lot of inner work when you surrendered to the transformation that took place within the dark cocoon.
If this is where you’re at, take this moment to celebrate. A butterfly does this by taking flight. You can do this by allowing yourself to be seen.
Renewal
The snake sheds and releases what it no longer needs. Revealed out of the old skin is the same exact design yet it holds a different kind of vibe. Same same, yet new.
This is the Renewal.
When you go through a renewal, you’re removing dead weight you don’t have to carry. You leave behind parts of your identities that no longer fit or resonate. This seems similar to a rebirth and yet the key difference is that renewal feels lighter and energetic than it does “shocking” like a rebirth.
When you’re feeling renewed, you remember what your intentions are. You have a newfound appreciation for your purpose. There’s this sense of revitalized energy towards your path. This is saying, “I remember what I was doing a few seasons ago and now that I’ve wintered and hibernated, I’m ready to return to these projects again.”
You, just like the snake, recognize that the new skin or new energy will last as long as it needs to. But you know better than to hold on or feel lack since the skin will once again peel off slowly. The energy will deplete. The cycle will repeat itself. When it does, an evolved identity will be yearning to break through.
Simple Nervous System Regulation Tips
What tends to happen in the beginning of Rebirth/Renewal seasons is that both themes bring about new ideas and new lust for going after your dreams. It sounds splendid however it’s important to not fall into the trap of moving in ways that dysregulate your nervous system, which often leads to disappointment on our “progress” and even distrust in ourselves.
Hyperarousal
A hyperaroused nervous system is one where you tend to overdo it. You’re constantly in hustling mode. You’re functioning nonstop and can’t sit still.
This may show up when you have all these great, creative ideas and you decide you need to tackle every single one of them. Suddenly, you have a full-time job, people to care for, a booked social calendar and 1,000 projects to somehow execute.
Tip: For those who are prone to a HYPERaroused nervous system, notice where you’re going 100mph or taking on more than your plate can carry. This is when you want to have some level of discipline by packing all your downloads into an “ideas bank” and reviewing no more than 1-3 items per quarter.
Hypoarousal
A hypoaroused nervous system is one where you tend to be inactive. You become too overwhelmed with making decisions from all the ideas you have so you stay stagnant instead of moving ahead.
This may show up when the downloads are pouring through you. Instead of choosing a direction, you reason with yourself that each little thing must be examined before moving at all. This can then spiral into gloom and pity for yourself since you’re not being “productive.”
Tip: For those who are prone to HYPOarousal states, tally up your ideas and tasks into a bulleted list. Categorize them by: Things that will absolutely help me move forward, things that I want to archive, things that sound like a great idea. Then only have the first category available in plain sight. This can help prioritize what should get done.
Journal Prompts
Use these prompts to help determine the theme of this season for you!
What’s rotting in my garden? What can I turn into compost?
What seeds do I want to plant for harvesting at a later time? What has already been planted that need to be nourished for a little longer?
Am I feeling like I’m a butterfly who was once a caterpillar? Do I recognize who I am today as the same person from six months ago?
What did I surrender to when I went into a cocoon? What felt like darkness here? How did I find my light in this phase?
What inner work have I done that symbolizes the chrysalis process? How have I been tested on this inner work? What was solidified as a result of this inner work?
Am I feeling like a snake that is shedding off dead skin or weight? Can I still recognize most of me today from the version of me six months ago?
What attachments have I let go of? What was once true for me that now no longer resonates? In what ways do I feel lighter?
What am I working on to detach myself from? What am I being asked to release? How can I give myself grace throughout this process?
Where do I feel revitalized in life? What AHA! moment is bringing me back to my original intentions? How can I channel this energy towards something purposeful in the upcoming months?
Do the butterfly and/or snake resonate with me? If not, what creature best represents what I’m going through now?