In a world obsessed with instant gratification—where productivity is measured in likes, clicks, and deadlines—it’s easy to forget that true growth isn’t a race. Just as nature takes its own time to bloom, so too should we trust our personal journeys. The cherry tree doesn’t fret when the oak towers above it; the rose doesn’t compare itself to the sunflower. They simply trust the season they’re in.
I often think of the opening lines of Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” These words, written millennia ago, still resonate deeply. They remind us that life is not a linear sprint but a rhythmic dance of seasons—some for planting, some for waiting, and some for reaping. Yet, in our fast-paced world, we often struggle to trust the timing of our lives.
In Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” the shepherd Santiago spends years on his journey, often feeling lost and behind schedule. Yet each delay, each seeming detour, was essential to his transformation. Like Santiago, my friend Elena (name changed) discovered this truth in the depths of her own winter.
“I lost everything at forty-three,” she told me, hands wrapped around a mug of tea in her tiny studio apartment. After two decades climbing the corporate ladder, a sudden layoff stripped away her carefully constructed identity. “I thought I was falling behind,” she smiled, the afternoon light catching the silver in her hair. “Instead, I was falling into my true path.”
The Wisdom of Tarot and I Ching: Seeing Your Personal Seasons
I once read a story about a woman who, in the midst of a career crisis, pulled the Seven of Pentacles from her tarot deck. The card depicts a farmer leaning on his hoe, gazing at his growing plants. It’s a card of patience, of trusting the process. She realized she had been so focused on the harvest that she forgot to appreciate the quiet, nurturing phase of growth.
Similarly, the I Ching, the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, teaches us about the cyclical nature of life. One of its hexagrams, Chun (Difficulty at the Beginning), reminds us that even the most challenging seasons are necessary for growth. Like a seed breaking through the soil, our struggles often precede our greatest transformations.
These tools aren’t about predicting the future but about understanding the season we’re in. They invite us to pause, reflect, and trust that even when we can’t see the full picture, we’re exactly where we need to be.
Even my friend Elena turned to the I Ching during her dark months. Each morning, she would cast the coins, letting ancient wisdom speak to modern wounds. The hexagram Kun (Earth) appeared repeatedly – a sign of receptivity, of fertile darkness where seeds take root.
Aligning with Your Energy: Feng Shui for Growth
Creating an environment that supports your growth is just as important as trusting the process. Feng Shui, the ancient art of harmonizing energy, offers beautiful insights into nurturing your personal season.
Start by decluttering your space. Clutter stagnates energy, making it harder to move forward. Create a “growth corner” in your home—a space filled with plants, symbols of hope, and items that inspire you. Add a small water feature or a mirror to symbolize the flow of life and the reflection of your inner self.
I remember a friend who was feeling stuck in her career. I suggested her to rearrange her workspace according to Feng Shui principles, placing a lush green plant in the “wealth and abundance” corner of her desk. Within weeks, she noticed a shift—not just in her environment, but in her mindset. She began to trust that her efforts would bear fruit, even if she couldn’t see the results yet.
In my work guiding others through their seasons of transformation, I’ve witnessed the power of creating spaces that honor the current phase of our journey. Take Marina (name changed), a former ballerina turned writer. Her story haunts and inspires me. After her injury, Marina faced the daunting task of redefining her identity. Transforming her practice room into a space of light and color with prisms and crystals was her way of healing. Where mirrors once reflected perfect poses, she hung prisms that scattered rainbow light across blank walls. “I needed to learn a new way of moving through the world,” she whispered, showing me the space. “The crystals remind me that even when I feel shattered, light still dances.”
The ancient art of Feng Shui teaches us that energy flows where attention goes. In my own home, I created an altar to divine timing. A clear quartz crystal catches the morning light, casting prisms like Marina’s studio. Amethyst clusters remind me of winter’s purple twilight, holding the promise of spring. Each object whispers: trust, wait, believe.
Crystal Allies: Stones for Patience and Trust
Crystals have long been used as allies in personal growth. Clear Quartz, often called the “master healer,” amplifies clarity and intention, helping us see the bigger picture. Amethyst, with its calming energy, supports patience and trust in divine timing.
I know a man in his late 90s who has pockets stitched into his undergarments to carry crystals—citrine for happiness, carnelian for strength, prehnite for angelic blessings, and specific stones for particular purposes. For example, when attending a meditation class, he includes amethyst or a similar stone
Once I met a woman who carried a small Amethyst in her pocket during a particularly uncertain phase of her life. She told me that every time she felt anxious, she would hold the stone and remind herself, “This is my season of waiting, and that’s okay.” The crystal became a tangible reminder to trust the process.
Other stones, like Moonstone, connect us to the cycles of nature, while Citrine encourages optimism and abundance. Choose a crystal that resonates with your current season and let it be a gentle reminder to trust your journey.
Embrace Your Unique Pace
In The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett writes, “Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow.” This simple yet profound truth speaks to the power of nurturing our own growth. Just as Mary Lennox tended to the neglected garden, we must tend to our own hearts and dreams, trusting that they will bloom in their own time.
Few know that bamboo spends its first four years growing underground. Nothing visible. No green shoots, no swaying stalks. Then, in its fifth year, it rockets upward, growing up to ninety feet in just six weeks.
J K Rowling’s story reminds me of bamboo. For years, she submitted her Harry Potter manuscript after manuscript, collecting rejections like fallen leaves. But when her novel finally emerged, it made the history.
Conclusion: Bloom Beautifully
Here’s what no one tells you about divine timing: it’s not about passive waiting. It’s about active trust. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, the most powerful growth happens in the dark, like stars wheeling unseen above storm clouds.
Life is not a race to the finish line; it’s a journey through seasons. Some seasons will feel like spring, bursting with new beginnings. Others will feel like winter, quiet and introspective. But each season has its purpose, its lessons, and its beauty.
As Rumi once said, “What you seek is seeking you.” Trust that the universe is conspiring in your favor. Embrace your pace, and let your life unfold like the most exquisite of stories.
Tonight, place your hand on your heart. Feel its steady rhythm – the beat that has carried you through every season, never too fast, never too slow. Perfect timing. Divine timing. Your timing.
So, dear reader, wherever you are in your journey, trust the sea of your life to ebb and flow with grace. Embrace each season, and allow yourself to bloom beautifully in your own time. Share your experiences with divine timing in the comments below, and let’s support each other’s growth.
Roses never argue with spring. And neither, dear one, should you.