Welcome to Petals & Planets — a gentle, seasonal practice for body and soul. Every two weeks we explore mudras, mantras, flower remedies, and essential oils chosen to support the natural rhythms of each passing season. Whether you are in a moment of releasing, beginning, healing, or simply resting — there is something here for you.
Petals & Planets April 17, 2026
For Release & Gentle Renewal ~ April 2026
There are times when the body asks us to slow down — to soften, to release, to listen more closely. And yet, something new is beginning to stir. This two-week practice offers simple, embodied tools to help you honor both the letting go and the gentle arrival of what's next.
“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.” – Masaru Emoto
A Practice for Release & Gentle Renewal
There are times when the body asks us to slow down — to soften, to release, to listen more closely.
And yet, right now, you may also feel something beginning to stir. A spark. A quiet pull toward something new.
This is not a contradiction. It is a rhythm as natural as breath itself.
We are in a moment where old layers are completing — things that have quietly finished, even if we haven't yet named them. And beneath that release, something is pressing gently through. Like a seed that has been waiting underground, patient and ready, for its moment to rise.
The invitation of this two-week window is not to choose between resting and beginning. It is to let both be true at once. To release with grace, and to trust the spark that follows.
This practice is here to support you in both.
ABHAYA MUDRA
Gesture of Fearlessness & Trust
A simple gesture of open hands — releasing what was, welcoming what comes.
How to practice:
Sit comfortably, spine gently upright
Raise your right hand to about shoulder height, palm facing outward — soft, open, unheld
Rest your left hand on your thigh, palm facing upward — receptive, ready
Close your eyes and breathe naturally for 5–15 minutes
A gentle note: This gesture has been used for centuries as a symbol of both protection and welcome. You are not pushing anything away — you are simply saying: I am open. I am here. I am not afraid of what's unfolding.
Supportive qualities:
Encourages courageous, gentle release
Supports the transition from holding on to opening up
Invites trust in your own inner knowing
Creates spaciousness for what is quietly beginning
🔊 MANTRA: SO HUM
A steady, soothing mantra that anchors you in the rhythm of your own aliveness.
So - I am arriving
Hum - I am releasing
Allow it to move naturally with your breath. There is no need to get it perfect.
Rhythm & Practice:
Settle into a comfortable seat and begin breathing slowly
On each inhale, silently feel the word So
On each exhale, silently feel the word Hum
Continue for 5 minutes or 108 breath cycles
Let the rhythm soften any urgency, any striving
This mantra is sometimes translated as "I am that" — a gentle remembering that you are not separate from the life moving through you. You are part of the exhale and the inhale, the release and the beginning.
Essence: I am the pause and the spark. I trust what is completing. I welcome what is arriving.
🌿 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SUPPORT
Frankincense — grounding, centering, supportive for quiet reflection and inner trust
Lavender — calming to the nervous system, easing tension during times of change
Neroli — softly uplifting, carrying the energy of renewal and new beginnings after release
Diffuse, or apply (properly diluted) to wrists, heart space, or the back of the neck.
🌸 FLOWER REMEDIES
Walnut — deeply supportive during transitions; helps you stay true to yourself as the landscape shifts
Star of Bethlehem — for gentle integration and emotional processing, especially when old things are completing
Wild Oat — for clarity of direction when many possibilities feel open, or when you are sensing what wants to begin but aren't quite sure of its shape yet
Take as drops or in water, allowing gentle support throughout your day.
🌿 A SIMPLE RITUAL
Find a quiet place to sit. Rest your right hand open at your heart or beside you, palm out. Left hand resting in your lap, palm up.
Breathe in: So.
Breathe out: Hum.
After a few rounds, gently ask yourself:
What am I ready to release?
What feels like it's quietly beginning?
There is no need to answer right away. Just notice what arises — without judgment, without rushing. You might write a word or two in a journal, or simply let the feeling rest in your body.
Whatever you are releasing, it has served you. Whatever is beginning, it has been waiting for you.
You don't need to rush into what's next.
There is wisdom in the pause. There is strength in softening. And there is tremendous courage in the quiet act of beginning again — especially when you begin from a place of trust rather than urgency.
This opportunity is yOURS. Use it gently.
With Love & Care,
Carlie Love, LMBT, CIMI
Petals & Planets | Seasonal Wisdom for Body & Soul