The winter time, whatever the weather may bring, is the time to slow down. Nature’s way encourages us to ‘stay inside’ more and sink into longer nights to rest and restore. In our culture, this isn’t always the easiest thing to give in to, and our nervous system can get so stuck on ‘go’. Slowing down, breathing consciously, pausing and reflecting, meditation, and all the restorative practices can heal and soothe our over-stimulated systems and help us be more resilient and balanced. So many of us push until we are exhausted or sick, and then use that as the excuse to rest… but what if there is another way? Choosing to ease up, to give ourselves contemplative time to soften and lean into our tender dream time restores us deeply, preparing the ‘ground’ for the seeds of creativity we will plant in the coming seasons.
There is a time for every season… the time to blossom and bloom will come, strengthened by the time we have taken to go into the dark dreamy night of our own winter rest. We need to step away sometimes in order to see the world more clearly and love it more deeply. Give yourself some sweet time to unfold and unwind yourself, allow things to bubble up, to integrate, to settle…and sink into the warm embrace of Yin and build your reserves and gather strength for the coming Spring.