going inward
This morning I found myself looking at the bare branches of the tree outside my window. Standing tall, and completely still, except for the occasional breeze that rustles the empty branches every so often. Winter is here, officially.
This bare tree reminded me of a couple of questions I learned to ask a few years ago:
What is nature doing right now? How can I learn from the world around me? Outside, in New York, nature is still. Animals that hibernate, are hibernating. Plants and trees go dormant until spring. Nature is slowing down, yet our human world keeps moving. Life goes on, and that is ok, we must work to make a living.
Seasonal Living
Living seasonally and remembering that I am nature (we are nature), is something that I’ve been leaning into for the last few years. Connecting to the rhythms of nature grounds me.
When I don’t know what to do, I can look to nature to show me. This is what I’ve learned to embrace for each season:
Winter: It is a time for going inward, slowing down, reflecting, and embracing any peace we can find. Stillness, rest, pausing, restoration. The joy of warm & nourishing foods (soup!), cozy blankets, warm socks, holding hot mugs, cuddling, reading, writing, movies, reviewing and reflecting on the past year, incubating creative ideas, coming back to center.
Spring: When the trees begin to bloom, is a gentle new beginning. Awakening, opening, brainstorming, planting seeds, excitement, slow growth, making plans, taking what I’ve learned in the reflective and slow winter, and seeing what the next steps are.
Summer: When the trees are fully bloomed and lush is a time for celebration, being social, community, travel, movement, going out and about, fun, dancing, and soaking up the long days. It is also ease and relaxation, no rush is necessary, enjoying the fruit, the flowers, the joy of the warm weather, and doing everything and nothing outside.
Autumn: It is for getting back into a routine after a potentially unbalanced summer, organizing my life, back to school energy, it's for preparing and stockpiling for winter and starting to slow down again. It is the time for harvesting, for gratitude for what I have already, for what I’ve already done in the year. Thinking about what I will need and want this winter.
Simple Ways to Embrace Winter
Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, the longest night, and the true beginning of the winter season. Many different rituals and celebrations exist across the world and I wanted to share one that my friend Daniela has been doing with her mom she she was young: Winter Solstice Wishes Ritual
Aside from a Winter Solstice Ritual, I like to reflect on how I can savor and embrace the season of winter. For me, it is a time to go inward.
A couple of years ago during this time, I was reading up on living seasonally and in harmony with nature. I made myself a list of small or simple practices in my notes app on my phone that I could go back to when the cold and early sunsets of winter get to me. I wanted to share them in case they are helpful:
Sleep - Sleep more. An hour, a half-hour longer, getting into bed earlier than usual to wind down. There is no rush.
Rest - Rest more. Look outside, nature is in no hurry, it is time to rest. Add 15-30 min more rest during my day. Maybe it is 15 min of doing nothing or lying down when I’m done with work.
Gentle Movement - What movement feels good today? Ideas: Winter walks, flowy yoga, restorative or yin yoga, gentle strength, or whatever feels good that day.
Getting Outside - I know the first winter of covid, I was living at my mom’s and walked her dogs outside every day. This made me enjoy the winter SO much more. Getting sunshine feels good, and I still try to keep up with this.
Doing less - What is something I can cancel from my social schedule to make time for myself? Is there something that isn’t necessary to let go of and create more spaciousness and ease? What feels heavy that I can let go of?
Self-Reflection - Journaling, reflecting on my life, the last year, what is going well, and what I’d like to release. Going inward to come back to myself, my truth, and reminding me where I’ve been and where I am going.
Journaling helps me with this, but this can be a conversation with loved ones or simple self-reflective time.
Nourishing foods - soups, warm meals, tea, hot chocolate, etc.
Embracing Coziness- blankets, reading, movies, writing, journaling, cuddling. How can you embrace the joy of coziness?
Stillness - Softening and practicing stillness, whenever I can. Breathing, Meditation, Legs Up the Wall, Laying down. Whatever feels good at the moment.
