The Cleansing Storms of Spring

I grew up in the Midwest, and springtime in the Midwest brings one thing to mind for me: thunderstorms. And thunderstorms mean a lot of things for me. Even though we don’t get them very often here on the West Coast, it’s still an important idea for me.

Changing Seasons

The Midwest is the prime area for interesting weather patterns. We get cold winters with snow, ice, and subzero temperatures. Summers bring searing temperatures and intense humidity. Spring and Autumn are times of in-between, liminal spaces where you can find intriguing, and sometimes dangerous, weather patterns. Spring brings growth – new flowers, plants, trees, and wildlife stirring. At the same time, there are thunderstorms, tornadoes, and heat lightning during the later spring and summer months – all something to marvel at, yet be cautious of at the same time.

Memories

Dangerous or not, there is nothing like watching a thunderstorm roll through. In my childhood years, I spent many days with my dad standing on the front porch, watching a thunderstorm roll through. The cloud patterns, the lightning, and the intense energy – we both felt it and drew from it, even if neither of us would outwardly admit it. They were incredibly special moments we shared.

Thunderstorms are a bit contradictory for me. On the one hand, I can sit inside during a thunderstorm, and it’s, quite possibly, the most calming sensation for me. There’s nothing like curling up next to a window with a book and a cup of coffee (or your hot beverage of choice). At the same time, it’s also incredibly energizing. Drawing from the energy of the storm almost feels like recharging my batteries.

Thunderstorms are about releasing the imbalance in the atmosphere. Unstable warm air rises and meets the cooler air of the upper atmosphere, the moisture forming rain clouds. The heavier, negative charges sink to the bottom of the clouds, and the positive and negative charges together create lightning.

Balancing of Energies

What does this have to do with witchcraft? Think metaphorically. Just as thunderstorms release the imbalanced energy in the atmosphere, so can you release the imbalanced energy within yourself. Think of it as charging yourself with the energy of the thunderstorm and releasing it with a “crash of lightning”. And I think that’s where the calming, yet energizing feeling comes from. Releasing the imbalanced, and what remains is a sense of calm and balance.

If you don’t live in an area where thunderstorms are common, first of all, I’m sorry that you’re missing out (I’m kidding…sort of….). But in all seriousness, as we enter spring, I challenge you to think about how your local environment changes as the year progresses. What changes occur? How does this reflect in you?