Spring Into the Next Season of Your Life!

 

If you and/or your family are experiencing a stage in a life transition that feels like late winter hanging on forever or the drab and depressing part of early spring where the new life is still under the soggy mess from the melting, dirty snow, brighten things up with the following ritual.

Purim and Holi fall on the full Moon before the Vernal equinox. They are both based on stories that can be reenacted with colorful costumes and both emphasize loud raucous fun! You can even incorporate St. Patrick's Day and the snakes that St. Patrick drove out of Ireland if you like.

Gather your family prior to the day you plan to have your celebration to write a short description of your transition in the form of a one act play. Just a paragraph or two is fine.

Have the most troublesome aspect of your story be a villain of some kind (try not to villainize any person involved in your story - see if you can make them an ally in disguise). For example fear can be someone dressed all in grey making scary noises. Have heroes and heroines (you and your family) vanquish your villain in some way.

Although the Hindus and the Jews killed off their bad guys, I highly recommend that you approach your villain and ask why it is there and what it needs from you or how it might be serving you. If you can find it in your heart to embrace it with love and gratitude you can change it into a magical friend.

This is a very powerful way to end the story, but you could also have it shrivel up or run away if that feels more authentic.

After writing your play, make a list of all the activities that look like the most fun from the Purim and Holi websites. Then plan your party.

If possible, invite some of your tribe (friends, family, neighbors and/or community members). Perhaps make it a potluck. Explain the theme and encourage them to dress in costume or at least wear colorful clothes.  If you are going to be flinging bright colored powders for Holi - warn them to wear old clothes.

If you will not be including anyone other than your immediate family, perhaps you might want to prepare Purim baskets or clean out your closets/toy chests and give to charity. Both the acts of cleaning and giving are great for shifting energy and help you feel better and connect you to others.

If you are a single adult you can do solo celebration and have a play using objects you designate as characters, using pillows with pictures pinned to them or some other creative way of representing whoever's involved in your transition.

The act preparation for the party is a big part of the fun and family bonding so make it as elaborate as you have the time and energy for but not so much that it causes stress or overwhelm.

On the day of the party put on your play and then have your feast and revelry. Make a lot of noise!