Are you sick of winter?
If so, you may be anticipating Ground Hog day, which is said to predict if spring is coming soon.
Early Spring?
A famous ceremony is held February 2nd on Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania.
Tradition says that if the weather is clear and sunny, then the ground hog will see its shadow and retreat to its den for six more weeks.
On the other hand, if the weather is cloudy and the ground hog does not see its shadow, then spring will arrive early.
Every Day Ground Hog Day?
Did you see the Bill Murray movie called Ground Hog Day?
He played a grumpy reluctant reporter sent to that cold podunk town to cover their Ground Hog Day ceremony. He went to bed at the end of the day, and woke up again and again the same day, Ground Hog Day.
Sentenced to repeat the same day, he was miserable and for a while even self-destructive.
The good news is that the character Bill Murray played went through it enough times, adjusting his attitude and actions each time, which transformed him to finally discover that love and kindness are what really matter.
Increasing Light and Warmth
You, too, can use this time to transform to more lightness and liveliness.
The date of February 2nd also has significance in the yearly calendar.
It is half-way between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. Ancient earth-based traditions celebrate the beginning of spring, where the vernal equinox is considered the height of spring.
This day marks the shift from the cold dark days of winter to the increasing light and warmth of spring.
On this day, the ancient Celts celebrated the Goddess Bridget, the goddess of purification and fertility. As Christianity swept the world, the church found it fitting to also celebrate a festival of light, Candlemas, on February 2nd.
Begin Anew Today
No matter if and what you celebrate, this is a time of new beginnings.
The days are getting longer because the sun is rising earlier and setting later. The world is transforming with new plants stirring in the ground, awakening joy.
We can let go of old dark habits and form new habits which support the new person we are becoming.
We can relax into becoming more of who we really are, shining our own light.
Unless we are stuck like Bill Murray’s character in Ground Hog Day. Unless we choose to dig in our heels and be grumpy to everyone around us. Unless we refuse to release old habits and patterns of behavior which no longer serve.
Then we suffer with the same thing over and over again.
This is a time to reflect and decide which way it will be.
It’s not up to circumstances or anyone else; it is our choice.
Grumpy or kind person? Who would you rather encounter during your day? Who would you rather be?
Choose.
