There is something sacred about the turning of the seasons.
Here in Australia, September draws towards its end with the unmistakable signs of spring all around us. The days grow longer, the warmth of the Sun begins to return, blossoms appear upon branches that seemed lifeless only weeks before, and the Earth awakens once more.
For the ChristoPagan, these changes are more than simply the movement of weather and time. They can become an invitation to notice the Divine moving through Creation.
God in the Garden
Jesus often taught through the natural world.
He spoke of seeds and fields, vines and branches, birds of the air and lilies of the field. The ordinary things of Creation became sacred illustrations through which deeper spiritual truths could be understood.
Perhaps we can learn to look upon nature in much the same way.
When a tiny green shoot pushes its way through dark soil, we may see a symbol of resurrection.
When the Sun rises after a long night, we may remember that darkness does not endure forever.
When flowers return after winter, we may be reminded that periods of stillness are not necessarily endings. Sometimes they are simply the quiet places in which new life is preparing to emerge.
Creation itself can become a kind of living scripture.
The Sacred Wheel Turns
Many Pagan traditions recognise the year as a great sacred cycle — the Wheel of the Year.
Birth, growth, harvest, decline, death and renewal continually move through Creation. Rather than viewing these changes as separate from spiritual life, Pagan traditions invite us to become conscious participants within them.
For those of us walking a ChristoPagan path, there need not be a conflict here.
Christianity also carries profound stories of death and resurrection, darkness and light, wilderness and renewal.
Christ enters the tomb and rises again.
Seeds fall into the Earth before producing new life.
Winter gives way to spring.
The Moon wanes and becomes dark before her silver light begins to return.
Different traditions may use different languages, symbols and stories, yet each can invite us to contemplate the great mysteries woven throughout Creation.
Spring in the Southern Hemisphere
Living in the Southern Hemisphere also gives us a wonderful opportunity to experience spirituality according to the land beneath our own feet.
Much spiritual material is written from a Northern Hemisphere perspective, where September signals autumn and the approach of winter.
But here in Australia, the Earth tells another story.
Spring has arrived.
Wildflowers begin appearing. Birds become increasingly active. Gardens burst into colour. The warmth upon our skin feels different.
The sacred calendar need not be something imposed upon the land.
We can listen to the land itself.
Go outside.
Feel the breeze.
Notice what is flowering.
Listen to the birds.
Watch the Moon.
Feel the warmth of the Sun.
The Divine may sometimes speak most beautifully when we become quiet enough to notice what Creation is already saying.
Christ, Goddess and the Sacred Earth
ChristoPaganism gives us room to encounter the Divine through many sacred expressions.
We may pray to Jesus beneath an old tree.
We may light a candle before an image of Mary.
We may honour a God or Goddess whose mythology speaks deeply to our present journey.
We may read our Bible beside a crystal, draw a tarot card after prayer, burn incense upon an altar, or simply stand barefoot upon the Earth and give thanks.
These things do not have to compete for our attention.
For the ChristoPagan, they can become different windows through which we seek the Sacred.
At the heart of our practice remains love.
Jesus taught us to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves. The Golden Rule calls us to treat others as we would wish to be treated. The Wiccan Rede reminds us:
“An it harm none, do what ye will.”
Together they encourage a spirituality that is not measured merely by the symbols upon our altar, but by the love, compassion and kindness we carry from that altar into the world.
What Season Are You In?
The seasons outside us also invite us to consider the seasons within us.
Perhaps you are experiencing spring — filled with new possibilities, inspiration and beginnings.
Perhaps your life feels more like winter — quiet, uncertain or waiting.
Perhaps you are harvesting something you have worked towards for many years.
Or perhaps you are being called to release something whose season has finally ended.
Whatever season you find yourself in, you need not rush it.
The Earth does not apologise for winter.
The Moon does not fear becoming dark.
The seed beneath the soil does not believe it has been forgotten.
There is sacredness in every part of the cycle.
A Simple Spring ChristoPagan Ritual
Sometime this week, find a peaceful place outdoors or sit beside an open window.
Light a candle if it is safe to do so.
Place beside you something representing your spiritual path — perhaps your ChristoPagan cross, Bible, crystal, rosary, tarot deck or another sacred object.
Take several slow breaths.
Then simply notice Creation.
Offer thanks to God for the returning warmth.
Welcome the life awakening within the Earth.
Ask Christ to help you recognise where love is needed in your life.
If a particular Goddess, God, angel or sacred presence forms part of your practice, you may invite their wisdom into your meditation as well.
Finally, ask yourself:
What is ready to awaken within me?
You do not need to force an answer.
Sometimes the most sacred thing we can do is listen.
As another turn of the great Wheel unfolds around us, may we remember that we are not separate from Creation.
We are part of it.
May the returning warmth awaken hope within you. May Christ walk beside you upon the path. May the ancient wisdom of the Earth remind you to honour every season of your journey.
And wherever your spiritual path may lead, may you walk it with love.
Hugs across the cosmos to thee! 🏳️🌈✝️⭐❤️