For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, we are in the midst of winter: a time of hibernation and rest. Long, dark nights and warm drinks. Slow movement and lots of space.
Or at least, that's how it should be.
In our modern culture, we've lost our connection to the natural rhythms, and with it our connection to our deepest inner selves and to each other. Bright lights and notification pings keep us in a heightened, hyperfocused state. When we're constantly outward-focused and task-oriented, we lose the opportunity to pause and see what wants to arise.
Traditional cultures understood that nature offers us an opportunity to step back from the busyness of the rest of the year and withdraw from the outer world, as the plants do, so that we can nurture our inner worlds. They knew this time of stillness and darkness actually offers us the chance to dream.
Like the trees that lose their leaves, it may look as though nothing is happening when we are dormant. Yet there is still so much going on beneath the surface. Modern science confirms this and shows that we can only process and recombine ideas in moments of slowness and mind-wandering. Without these essential moments of pause, our brains and bodies are destined to repeat the same habitual cycles.
Winter, then, offers a beautiful gift. The cold that can sometimes feel like an enemy is helping you retreat into your cozy home and tend to yourself. Ancient cultures would use this time to help them reflect and build a new vision for their lives: ideating new ways of being and doing, creating outer realities that reflect our inner selves.
A lot has changed in the last 12 months, and you are not the same person you were. Here are some ways you can honor those changes and use this time to dream up your future.
Journaling
- Take some space to let your inner world flow through your hands. You can answer the questions: How have your priorities shifted in the past year, if at all? Are there ways in which your life has taken on new meaning?
Rest and Reflect
- Put on some relaxing music and set up your space in a nurturing way. Allow yourself to rest in that space between awake and asleep. What images come to you? What ideas arise? What would like to be brought to life?
Technology and Your Attention
- Be gentle with yourself as you take a moment to contemplate your digital habits. Can you notice if there are any shifts in the pace and quality of your mind when you use tech and when you take a break from it?
- I invite you to take a few days, or even a week, to put down the phone as the sun sets and notice if there are any changes for you.
Connection and Storytelling
- Storytelling is a traditional activity of winter as people gather indoors together. More than just a fun pastime, it actually allows us to heal and facilitate changes in our lives. You can use this time to gather with a small group of people and intentionally reflect on the past year in an easeful way.
- You may like to create a space for slowly drinking tea, recounting stories from the past year, and vocalizing what changes you might like to see in the coming year.
As the earth slows, we are offered the quiet invitation to do the same. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to rest, reflect, and allow yourself to just be.
