Pic 1:  Whitham Hill Nature Park, Corvallis, OR, 3-3-19
Pic 2:  Caughlin Park, Reno, NV, 3-10-19

I don’t know about you, but I feel more ready than usual for Spring to spring after the winter of 2018-2019 here on the west coast of the United States where we’ve broken numerous records for rain- and snowfall.  It’s been so exceptional in terms of precipitation that this past month is now known as “Febru-buried 2019” after area ski resorts and mountain residents got hammered by storm after storm leaving locals exhausted from constant snow removal and Interstate 80 from Reno into California closed multiple times.

While it’s still cold with snow flurries today here in Reno, NV at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains, I can sense Spring in the air without seeing many outward signs of it (besides the yellow croci emerging in our yard).  And above are two pictures of trees that while have yet to bust out in leaves, are most certainly poised to do so, and even without their leaves look quite beautiful.

While these trees have appeared dormant to us passers-by since losing their leaves months ago, in fact they’ve actually been active below ground strengthening their root systems ahead of this coming Spring.  In this same way, we might think of a meditation practice as something that more often happens deep within without any immediately discernible changes we can detect.  This is part of what can be challenging about meditating is that we sometimes expect instant results when in reality deeper changes only happen with time and effort.

And so if you have a meditation practice or are considering starting one, take the slow and steady approach, keeping an open mind as to what might happen over time.  And while that’s happening, I do hope you enjoy the warmth, beauty and growth of this well-earned Spring of 2019!