Well we here in the Berkshires, MA have finally received the snow of the season we have gone without. As I look out my window the feathering of light snow dust the roof tops of brick and wood along with the barren trees. So with this I find myself reflecting on the purpose of winter and its reflective nature.
When we embrace the season and its given wisdom we ensure or bodies remain in healthy concert with the environment.
The season of winter is a period of duality of rhythms for all living things. What appears as dormant is really active. Much of what is percolating beneath the cold frozen earth is fully in movement. Buds are gaining their strength in this season. The internal work is significant for without it, spring could never been in the splendor we so come to enjoy. Just as the buds, we do ourselves good to follow their lead.
Taking time to go inside ourselves and do some inquiry can help set up a pattern of care taking we can follow for the whole year.
Body Awareness– Allow yourself a quiet and comfortable setting to reflect on your body and mind. Set it up as a space and time where you can create a ritual. Diary your winter reflections. Take a moment to check in. Do a body scan. Ask yourself are there any areas of stiffness? What forms of exercise would be best for me at this time? How does my body feel in the morning, afternoon and evening? Take one or two of these questions and start writing.
Mind Awareness- Take a moment to check in on how you are feeling in the season. Look at what are the dominant feelings you have during this season. Sometimes the winter with its stark light can be a bit blinding and make you want to shelter yourself. It can be invasive on the disturbs the internal sense of quiet and peace.
The early darkness also can create a sense of isolation and make us feel loneliness more deeply. For others a sense of balance is brought with the elements of nature and the internal dwelling, allowing us to feel more grounded and nourished. The quality of the light may be one that invites your feelings of content. See how the natural elements in your surroundings and your lifestyle during the season play into how you feel. Take note.
Mind and Body Awareness- Using both these forms of inquiry to create a general perspective on your well-being is a great way to connect your body and mind together. By doing so we instill a practice that honors our rhythm in concert with the seasons. By using the seasons as a guide we can create a platform for approaching each change that comes in our natural environment as an opportunity to help support our health.
In health,
Safara
