Winter - The Season Of Rest, Receptivity & Re-envisioning

Winter is the chrysalis stage in our personal revolution. Just like the development stages of a butterfly, we are in a phase of the year that invites us to wrap ourselves up in a warm blanket and rest in the dark and silence of our cocoon.

We’ve gone from the active yang energy of the summer, to the erratic energy of autumn and now we get to rest and recharge in the slower yin energy of winter - where stillness and silence bring us into deeper states of presence and peace.

Yet many of us struggle and dread winter and want to get out of it as quickly as possible, blaming the weather for our misery - labeling ourselves with “Seasonal Affective Disorder”. 

We are so used to running around all the time, our nervous system is almost always in its activated sympathetic (fight or flight) mode, making it our default “Modus Operandi”. We complain we have so many things to do and are stressed and tired, but do a poor job helping to create an environment that is conducive to the rest and relaxation we deeply crave. 

When we try to relax, we feel guilty and uncomfortable in our body, with our ego-driven brain screaming at us telling us “you’re not doing anything! You’re wasting your time!”.

Suffice to say, arguably the most challenging part for many of us during winter is embracing rest and relaxation.

Yet when we allow ourselves the time and space to truly rest, we are gifted with great insights, revelations and renewed energy that will help us emerge when spring comes around.

This is the gift of winter. To rest, reflect and re-envision the life we want to create.

Winter is inviting us with her open arms to release the need to add more to our list of to-dos, to lay down our masks and expose our raw truth. To take a good look in the mirror and ask ourselves honestly: How are you my love?

Grace is an important ingredient during this process for it’s not easy to go within. Pain from our past, fears of the future, and the deeper longings of the heart are revealed, being brought up to the surface to be witnessed, felt and released.

So your only work right now is to be like the caterpillar. You don’t have to do anything. Just wrap yourself, all snug in your cocoon, and simply rest. Here are a few guidelines to support your journey inward.

1. Create your space. Find a quiet space in your home and make it your little nook that is cozy, comfy and that you look forward to retreating to for meditation, reading and journaling. Ex: clean the space, light some candles, burn incense, play some soothing music (or none at all!), bring out your mat or a soft surface, add some blankets and pillows. 

2. Set time aside. It’s important you set time aside to retreat to your nook. Just like we love to add things on our calendar of “things to do”, maybe add “chilling in my nook” as one of them! Choose the dates and times for your “nook retreat” and commit! 

3. Ground into your body. Settle into your space and anchor into your body. Take a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth with a sigh. Feel the ground support you beneath your seat bones. Allow any sensations to come up. If energy is wanting to be released, do a quick shake and wiggle! 

4. Open up to receive. Use an affirmation to open up your consciousness and heart to receive messages, guidance and insights from your higher Self. It could be something like “I am open to receiving wisdom from my higher Self”. Choose the words that will resonate most to you! 

5. Journal insights, ideas, inspirations. Once you have found grounding in your body, take a new journal/notebook and do some journaling to reflect on your past and re-envision your path forward.

Whether you already embrace the winter months or find yourself in a “cold stump”, let’s remember the gift of this season - to slow down, indulge in some nourishing self-care practices, and reflect on what light you’d like to bring into your life.