How to Use the Winter Season Wisely
Your body tells the truth, your body wisdom knows what season it is in the cycle of the year for you, and knows what you need. In the northern hemisphere we are in the winter, a time to tap into the wisdom of the season and tend to ourselves.
In the cycle of a woman’s life, the season of winter reflects the archetypal energy of the wise old woman, the sage.
The wise woman has seen generations of birth, and generations of death. A woman who has seen times when there have been peace, and times of war. She has seen cycles of growth and expansion, and cycles of loss and things falling apart. She knows at her core that after the dark long nights of the winter, the spring always comes, and there will be more light and warmth soon.
The wise woman holds close to her heart the statement from my previous post: “this too shall pass.“ She knows hard times - as well as joyful times - shall pass, remembers resilience and strength, and remembers to receive and embrace and as well as trust when it is time to let go.
No matter what phase of life you are in, you hold the wisdom of the wise woman within you.
Connecting in with the wisdom of the winter season is something I work on with my private clients. In the winter we see in nature a world that appears barren, dead, but really what we are seeing is the time when the natural world is resting, restoring, and growing within, underneath the surface.
In our everyday it can be so common to disconnect from the reality of the environment around you, pushing along in your routine, and not really noticing the shifts and changes in the cycle of the year -- other than maybe taking note of the temperature, a sunny or cloudy day, and how you should dress for the weather. It is very common to feel the pressure to keep moving along, be productive, and disregard the wisdom of the winter. Especially because many of us have the comforts of modern-day living of a warm place to go inside, transportation that protects us from the elements, and lights that extends the days into the night.
Yet in fact when we are disconnected from the wisdom of the winter, we disconnect from the wisdom within ourselves.
The wisdom of the winter is to slow down, rest, let go of whatever is no longer serving you, fully release, and allow room for new ideas, inspiration, and connection with what you really want to create. You may not be able to go into full hibernation mode but you may be able to give yourself some small simple steps to incorporate the wisdom of the winter.
If you find yourself continually focused on giving to others, and possibly feeling irritated when you feel obligated to show up or do things for others, take a note from the winter.
The winter is a time to really take care of yourself. You may need some alone time, you may need a little bit of quiet. You may want to feel cozy, to rest, go inward, reflect, and put a do not disturb sign on your door handle. This is the time to let yourself be sensitive, connect in with your wisdom, let your creativity flow through so you can release what is no longer needed and have a sense of renewal.
Here’s an example -
A client of mine is going on a two-week TV fast. She is going to practice not going to the TV to unwind, and instead in that space there will now be room to connect with herself, to journal, to move her body.
Where in your life do you feel the need to really honor the winter? What habit or activity could you let go of to allow yourself to rest and feel renewal?
>>> It may be incorporating some gentle breathing and stretching into your days so your body can rest and restore.
>>> It may be to let yourself take a little pause from big projects you are working on.
>>> It may be blocking out some time and letting your loved ones know that you are going to take an hour (or 4!) for yourself to recharge, and that you’ll be putting your phone on do not disturb.
What you do with this time should really be about restoring yourself. Maybe you curl up with a book, take a nap, make a bath soak, maybe go out in nature, maybe go visit some art in an exhibit or museum, maybe turn on your favorite music and dance with your eyes closed, maybe make some art or journal, or meditate, or just do nothing and stare at a wall. What is most important is that you listen to your body and your wisdom to tend to what would feel restorative for you.
I’d love to hear what intention you are setting for yourself. And if this kind of energy feels challenging to you, you’re not alone. Most of us didn’t grow up with a roadmap of how to live in alignment with the seasons, but luckily now there are ways to gain this wisdom and apply it to your life to see and feel powerful shifts.
This is exactly what I do in my work with private clients, and I would love to connect with you if you are feeling curious about how this work could impact YOU!
