No sweet, gentle rustles of springtime here — Igor Stravinsky's “The Rite of Spring” portrays a turbulent seasonal shift with pounding rhythms and dissonance. His inspiration stemmed from a Slavic pagan ritual in which people allegedly welcomed spring through ceremonies, dancing and, at times, human sacrifices to appease nature's gods. In the ballet, a young maiden is chosen to dance herself to death, ensuring the gods' favor.
In prehistoric agrarian societies, people believed a seed must die and be buried to bring new life. By extension, death was seen as necessary for renewal and rebirth making human sacrifice a means of securing prosperity.
Whether this rite of spring truly occurred or is mere folklore remains uncertain, but its premise is flawed. A viable seed does not actually die. The embryonic plant within its protective seed coat remains alive, sometimes dormant for years, until conditions favor germination.
During winter, soil microbes gradually break down the seed coat, while cycles of freezing and thawing weaken it just enough for water and gases to reach the embryo, triggering germination.
Germination requires the right balance of light, moisture, soil chemistry and germination-promoting hormones. Yet, even when all conditions are met, a seed will not sprout or thrive until the soil is warm enough.
And when that happens, even I will dance with joy.
