Winter was my least favorite season. The idea of slowing down and having my activities limited by the weather was not to my liking.
However, years of denying Winter left my “tank” running on fumes. This translated into a frazzled nervous system and feeling ungrounded or settled within. To my detriment, I had missed the gift of Winter – deep restoration.
Fortunately, Nature kept whispering in my ear, and I finally got the memo… I NEEDED WINTER.
Nature’s sublet clues on navigating this time of year surround us. Leaves that were busy creating energy through the process of photosynthesis have dropped from deciduous trees and perennial plants. The fruits of their labor, sugar, are now stored in the roots, so they can stay strong and survive the cold, harsh Winter – ready to emerge with new life as the weather warms.
With making medicine from the roots of plants, such as with Ashwagandha and Astragalus, we wait until after the first frost to harvest. At this point, their energy has shifted to the roots for resilience through the Winter, AND their medicine is most potent. Again, once spring arises, the time of rest in the earth leads to new growth.
Such a great message for us, right?
There is a going “into the earth” throughout the plant and animal world. Of course, we can’t go into the earth, but we can anchor into the clay of our bones which is of the earth. This happens when we find stillness, let go of tension, settle into our body, and rest.
In Winter, the natural world experiences a”collective rest.” When we join in this natural rhythm, we are nourished mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
As we head into the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, the wisdom of our body is nudging us to slow down, but the world around us seems to be speeding up as we enter the holidays. There is an incongruence happening between our inner and outer worlds. Instead of shifting to stillness and rest, we are being “asked” to keep expending more energy
Be gentle with yourself. The steps below are simple ways to shift into Winter. With a little extra attention, you might find mico-moments of spaciousness for restoration where you hadn’t noticed them before, even amid the holiday season.
Winter supports you in building up the potential energy you need for creating the rest of the seasons. Winter’s cyclical gift of renewal supports you in reclaiming your center and builds a solid foundation to create with intention throughout the rest of the year.
We are on the cusp of the winter season, so now is the perfect time to reclaim your natural rhythm by reclaiming the winter season.
3 Steps to Reclaim Winter – and Create Your Best Year Yet
- Sleep like it’s Winter.
- The nights are long; how much sleep is optimal for your body if given the opportunity?
- Follow the dark.
- As it begins to get dark outside, dim your inside lights. Think soft lamp light vs. bright overhead light. This includes screens. As it gets dark, can you minimize your screen time? If you must be on a screen, decrease its brightness.
- Aligning your indoor lighting with what is going on in the natural world will reset your circadian rhythm in a most nourishing way.
- Honor the absence.
- Absence of light, heat, and color in the natural world offers us the opportunity to slow down, get cozy, and settle in for rest. Try not to fill this space that nature gifts you.
- Be on the lookout for moments where you can just be – in this place of absence of activity – try not to fill it with information – news, podcats, etc.
- A cup of tea, a walk in the woods, gazing out the window, fluid writing, and art – are ways to be with the absence without filling it with effort or extra stimulus – it is a time to heal and settle our nervous systems – allowing it to rest and digest.
If Winter is “skipped,” a system becomes out of balance. For example, if it’s not cold enough – insect populations get out of control in the summer; if a field doesn’t rest – it becomes less productive in the summer; if we don’t rest in Winter – we quickly experience burnout.
Winter is a time to slow down, create stillness, most importantly – not fill the absences of color and light – but rest in the darkness.
The active part of reclaiming Winter is choosing a different way to navigate your day. Rather than habitual over-efforting and busyness, resting and moving at Winter’s pace is what’s most needed. Winter can be womb-like if we allow it, nourishing and profoundly restorative to your nervous system.
Winter is becoming my new favorite season. May each of you receive the gift of restoration this Winter.
