Purple + Yellow + Green
Today marks the Spring Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere, the end of Pisces season, beginning of Aries Season, and official start of Spring. Likely a few other things I am missing, but the general sense of renewal is in the air. Just two weeks ago I was tapping Maple trees in the midst of a snow squall and last week we experienced temperatures in the 70s. The volatility of spring keeps us on our toes and calls for new routines to keep up. All around spring ephemerals are popping up. Buds are eagerly pushing through the surface awaiting their moment to burst through and regain their space in waking life after a winterlong dormancy. The Earth’s surface is warming and new life is showing up in many forms. I’m taking care to note my surroundings and how they’re rapidly changing. At times it feels hard to keep up, but I’ve been reminding myself to soak it in and enjoy things as they come. As I unfocus my botanist’s/herbalist’s eye, I invoke my child’s mind and see basic colors and hear more birds. The colors of early spring are purple, yellow, and green; a visual retreat from winter’s brown, grey, and greyer hues. Dandelion, forsythia, daffodil, lesser celandine, witch hazel, crocus, purple dead nettle, henbit, hyacinth, periwinkle, and hellebore are a few of the vibrant yellow and violet-hued growth showing up here in Brooklyn in addition to all the verdant buds on the verge of exploding. These colors are melodic and feel like a pattern sending hidden messages that I’m subconsciously attuned to.
Yellow represents the Sun, brightness, energy, outward movement, and is most associated with the Solar Plexus. Indigo/Violet hues denote Piscean energy, dreaminess, ethereal energy, upward movement, and ties with the Crown Chakra. To me this evokes the feeling of expansion! A time to emerge anew as the plants from their slumber, releasing stagnation and embracing what the season has in store. A season of wind and volatility. We don’t know whether to put our winter coats away for good or to pull out the short sleeves.
Officially (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine), the color most associated with springtime is green. This seems obvious as it’s the first and most prevalent color to mark Earth’s surface when temperatures start to warm. This year, the yellow and purples stole the show for me perhaps because they’re almost mesmerizing in their stark contrast to everything else and often planted as ornamentals.
Working with plants while they’re at their peak in season generally tells us the medicine that’s needed. The plants of springtime typically support the Liver, lymphatic system, and/or are mineral-rich. These support common spring ailments like allergies, skin breakouts, sluggishness, and digestive upset.
Some practices to smoothly transition into Spring:
Consuming fresh, bitter and mineral-rich greens of springtime including nettles and dandelion which are incredible as herbal infusions but also in food form
Opt to get outside during daylight, optimally in the morning for at least 10 minutes. This helps regulate the circadian rhythm which is responsible for so many bodily functions including sleep regulation, moods, hormonal function, immune health, and so much more!
Incorporating quercetin-rich foods like alliums to reduce seasonal allergy symptoms
Make a spring playlist and dance to it! Move your body and release winter stagnation while welcoming the energy springtime
Dry brush before bathing to encourage lymphatic drainage
Happy Spring!
