Self Care in Winter Tradition
When you think of winter, what images do you conjure up? Do you think of kids catching snowflakes on their tongue, or the roar of a winter hearth, or the holidays that bring us all together?
These are the picturesque parts of winter. The pieces that hold us over emotionally through the darkest part of the year. As important as these parts of winter are there are many more things that you can do to prepare yourself for this season, particularly in the self care department.
Each season has its own gifts, and your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs shift from season to season. For our next learning block I will speak to self care in the winter months.
The foundation stone of this learning block is understanding how the physical body correlates to this season. Winter is a dark time, where the outer world has receded into itself in order to save its energy and strength to burst forth in the spring. You my love are the same as all those plants out there. You are meant to pull inward, to reserve your energy, so that you can begin to pour out your energy in the spring.
Now modern society has lost its ebb and flow with the seasons and so this natural way of living has been left to the wayside. Thus you must consciously strive to bring your own life into balance when possible. I am not advocating for you to quit your job and hibernate, but where can you gently make some adjustments to honor this natural process that is taking place in your body?
I will offer a list of helpful suggestion of things you can do to slow down a bit and turn inward in these winter months. Remembering that the goal here is to live in alignment of the seasons because we are a living product of this earth. For the rest of this educational block we will look at different ways to take care of the self in the winter months, so for now you can prepare yourself to do this work by just bringing awareness to this idea. Remembering that this is a process and a journey. While this may seem odd in the moment you will be amazed in the years to come about the transformational process that you are beginning now. So feel empowered to make changes in you life to have an existence that is in alignment, because the more you align yourself to the natural world the more you will be aligned to your authentic self. As always if you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, I am here for you friend. You can reach out today and I can help you find your own Mindful Tradition.
Suggestions for the Dark of Winter:
Go to Bed Earlier - This is a time for resting. One can create reserves of energy to live sustainably through the winter months.
Staying Home to Craft - People still need outlets in this time, however the focus should be on going out less and taking up a hobby in the home. Not a hobbyist? Try a board game then.
Less Screen Time - Because people go outside less, they tend to turn to Netflix more. I would argue that now is the time to read a good book, or start to journal.
Being Silent - Find times in your day or week where you can be fully silent. This includes not reading, writing, or listening to anything. Fully immerse yourself in the gift of quiet that this season brings.
