Every year, as the Spring Equinox approaches, we’re urged to celebrate renewal, rebirth, and the blossoming of new life. It’s a time to cast off the darkness of winter and step into the brightness of spring with fresh intentions, new goals, and a sense of optimism. But what if this conventional narrative is a bit too limiting? What if true transformation doesn’t only come from the sunlight of spring, but from embracing the very shadows we’re trying to escape?
In shamanism, we know that growth and healing aren’t just about the light. In fact, some of the most profound shifts come from facing the darkness, from embracing the parts of ourselves that we hide, avoid, or reject. This Spring Equinox, we’re challenging the traditional notion of new beginnings and asking: What if the real key to transformation lies in the parts of ourselves we’ve ignored or suppressed in favour of growth and optimism?
The Shadow: A Hidden Well of Power
The Spring Equinox is often celebrated as the moment when light overcomes darkness, the point of perfect balance between day and night. But in shamanic teachings, darkness isn’t something to defeat or push away. The dark is a powerful space of potential—a womb where transformation occurs beneath the surface, hidden from our view. Before a seed can sprout, it must rest in the earth, unseen. Before a butterfly can emerge, it must break free from the cocoon.
This equinox, shamanic wisdom encourages us to shift our focus from the idea of endless growth and perpetual light to a deeper understanding of the shadows within. Our personal and collective healing depends not on avoiding our darker aspects but on integrating them, on recognising that within the darkness, there is a wellspring of power, creativity, and insight.
An Equinox Challenge: Don’t Just Celebrate Light, Dance with Your Darkness
Instead of rushing to clear away the shadows in your life, what if you chose to dance with them instead? What if you allowed them to inform you, to show you the parts of yourself that need attention, healing, and integration? In shamanism, the dark isn’t something to overcome, but a space of transformation, growth, and wisdom.
This Spring Equinox, we challenge you to:
- Welcome the Shadows: Reflect on the parts of yourself that you’ve neglected, feared, or hidden. What wisdom are they holding that you need to hear? Sometimes, growth happens not through pushing forward but through turning inward and confronting the pieces of our psyche we’ve left untouched.
- Shed Old Notions of Renewal: Shamanic teachings often talk about “death” as a precursor to rebirth. Before we can truly transform, we must allow parts of ourselves to die—old beliefs, old patterns, old attachments. This doesn’t mean we’re ending the journey, but simply shedding what no longer serves us to make room for something more authentic.
- Look Back to Move Forward: Often, we focus so much on moving forward and looking ahead that we forget to look back. What have you learned in the darkness of the past year? What lessons, pain, or joy have you left unexamined? The Spring Equinox isn’t just a time to look ahead but to also pause, reflect, and draw wisdom from the past.
- Ground Yourself in the Earth’s Cycles: The earth doesn’t rush towards the light. It takes its time, respecting the cycles of growth, death, and rebirth. This equinox, allow yourself to follow the earth’s example—acknowledge both the light and the dark within you, understanding that balance doesn’t mean escaping one for the other, but fully embracing both.
Shamanic Practices to Embrace the Equinox’s Shadow Side
If you’re ready to challenge the traditional narrative and truly explore the transformative power of the Spring Equinox, here are some shamanic practices that might surprise you:
- Shadow Work Ritual
Sit in the quiet of the night and journal your fears, regrets, and unspoken truths. Hold space for all that feels unresolved. Offer these aspects to the earth, asking for guidance on how they can be integrated into your life. Let the earth transmute these energies, creating space for new growth. - Death and Rebirth Meditation
Find a comfortable place and close your eyes. Imagine something within you that no longer serves you—a belief, a pattern, a fear—dying away. Allow it to dissolve in the darkness, and then picture the rebirth of something more authentic and aligned with your true self. The rebirth doesn’t happen instantly—it requires time, patience, and acceptance. - Drumming in the Dark
Shamanic drumming is a powerful tool for entering altered states of consciousness. Try drumming in the dark, allowing the rhythms to guide you into your own shadowy spaces. Feel the beat in your body and let it resonate with the hidden aspects of yourself that need to be heard. - Dance the Dark into Light
The Spring Equinox is a time of balance, but before rushing toward the light, dance with the shadows. Take time to express through movement the emotions, fears, and parts of you that feel stuck. Let the rhythm guide you into acceptance, understanding, and integration.
The Power of Embracing Both Light and Dark
Shamanic wisdom teaches us that transformation comes not from rejecting one side of ourselves but from honouring and integrating both. The Spring Equinox invites us to celebrate the balance of light and dark—recognising that growth and healing aren’t just about moving into the light but about accepting and learning from the shadows.
This equinox, let go of the pressure to always move forward and start fresh. Instead, honour the darkness within, welcome the wisdom it holds, and use it as the fertile ground from which true transformation can emerge. Our Shamanic Practitioner Training explores with Wheel of the Year which includes equinoxes. Learn more here.