A Gentle Journey Through the Wheel of Life
Looking back, growing forward, and living in rhythm with the Earth
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This final stop in our veganism and the wheel of the year series is a chance to exhale. After a complete journey through the Sabbats and seasons, we now arrive at a moment of reflection.
The wheel of life keeps turning, but before we move forward, let’s pause. Let’s celebrate how far we’ve come and how beautifully plant-based living can align with the rhythm of the Earth.
This article is a soft landing. A space to look back with kindness and step into the next cycle with intention.
This post may contain affiliate links. Full disclosure at the bottom.
Full Circle, Full Heart
When I began writing this series, I didn’t know how much it would teach me, not just about the seasons but about myself. Exploring the wheel of life has been a journey of rhythm, reflection, and quiet growth.
We’ve moved together through the fire of Beltane, the stillness of Yule, and the fresh beginnings of Ostara. Each Sabbat brought its own message. Each season offered a chance to pause, breathe, and realign.
Now that we’ve come full circle, I want to ask you something. What have you discovered about your own rhythms? About the values that matter most to you? How has your connection to the Earth—and to yourself—shifted as you walked through the seasons?
Threads That Tie It All Together
As we traveled through the wheel of life, a few beautiful themes kept showing up. They wove themselves into each Sabbat, like gentle reminders whispered by the Earth.
We talked about compassion. Not just for animals but for the people around us. And for ourselves. It shows up in the choices we make, in what we eat, and in how we live each day.
We explored mindfulness. We slowed down. And we noticed slight shifts in nature.
Then we permitted ourselves to be present with each season, just as it was.
We felt our interconnection. The understanding that we are not separate from the world around us. We are part of the web. Every leaf, every breath, every bite of food connects us.
And maybe most quietly, we experienced gentle transformation. Change didn’t come crashing in. It arrived softly, through reflection; through choosing again. And through living in a way that aligns with our heart.
As you think back over the seasons, which one spoke to you the most? Was it the energy of summer? The stillness of winter? What did that time reveal to you?
Walking With the Seasons, Wherever You Are
You don’t need to celebrate every Sabbat to live in rhythm with the wheel of life. Sometimes, it’s enough to pause. To notice the shift in the light. To feel a change in your mood or energy and honor it.
In the Southern Hemisphere, winter may be settling in. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer might be just beginning. Each season brings its own wisdom. Living a plant-based lifestyle helps us meet those changes with kindness, sustainability, and intention.
It becomes a way of being, not just a matter of what you eat.
You may enjoy revisiting this series as the year progresses. Let each post be a gentle guide. Use it to reflect, realign, and reconnect with what matters most. The path may look different each time, but the journey always leads inward.
Look Back to Move Forward
The end of the cycle is a beautiful time to pause and reflect. To sit in stillness and look gently at the year behind you. Through the lens of the wheel of life, you can begin to see how you’ve grown, softened, stretched, and aligned.
You don’t need anything fancy. Just a quiet moment, a pen, and a little openness. This simple reflection practice can help you carry forward what matters and release what no longer fits.
Here are five gentle ways to guide your year-in-review:
Find a quiet space. Light a candle, take a few deep breaths, and let your body relax and settle.
Journal about the seasons, asking yourself: What did I release? What did I grow?
Reflect on compassion. How did you show up for others? For animals? For yourself?
Write a letter to future you. Fill it with kindness, hope, and the intentions you want to carry into the next cycle.
Keep your reflections close. Place them in your journal, near your altar, or in a spot that feels sacred to you.
Taking the time to reflect doesn’t have to be a lengthy process. It just has to be honest. Little by little, it becomes a rhythm of its own.
The Journey is Yours
There’s no single way to move through the wheel of life. There’s only your way. Your pace. Your rhythm. Every season presents a fresh opportunity to notice, listen, and grow.
The beauty of this path is in its softness. You can always return. You can always begin again. Some years will feel full and rich. Others may feel quiet or still. Everything is part of the cycle.
As you carry this series with you, hold this question close: What would it look like to live each season with open eyes, an open heart, and a spirit of kindness? That’s the journey. And it’s one worth taking again and again.
©2025 Julene Cole, all rights reserved
Thank you for walking this path with me. Your time, your openness, and your willingness to grow through the seasons mean more than I can say. Sharing this gentle journey through the wheel of life with you has been a true joy.
I hope these reflections have helped you feel more connected to the Earth, to your choices, and, above all, to yourself.
Here's to continuing the journey, one season, one mindful step at a time. 💚
Expect Miracles!
Until next time,
Julene
Thanks for your beautiful presentation of The Wheel of Life. I find the balancing of resting and growing as difficult as the land down under does. Driving home the other day I could see that trees, originally brought here by immigrants, were already sprouting new leaves even though it is only the first month of winter. It doesn't seem to get cold enough here for these introduced species to take a proper break. Native plants are often in bloom during winter.
Maintaining enough energy for everything I want to achieve is what I'm reflecting on at the moment. While the trees seem to have adapted to not having a period of quietness, it's something I want to cultivate.