Healing with the Seasons - Resting & Reflecting with Winter

Winter invites an opportunity to pause, look within and restore the mind, body and soul

Winter always arrives sooner than we had hoped. The light begins to fade and the nights begin to draw in. We have soon forgotten Summer and its long, warm evenings.

We begin to feel tired. We feel cold. We feel slightly fearful of the long Winter ahead. We long for the light to return already.

But we also feel a sense relief. An opportunity to pull back from plans, save some money and hibernate without any feelings of guilt.

The nature of Winter is to be still, to be quiet and to allow our bodies to naturally restore its energy in time for a spring rebirth.

The slower pace of the season encourages us to enjoy more sleep, warmth and cosiness. It teaches us the power of resting, reflecting and rebuilding our energy.

Read on to learn about healing with Winter and some simple Winter rituals you can try at home.

Healing with Winter

We are incredibly lucky to live with four seasons each year. It allows us to live with the natural cycles of life. Living inline with the seasons brings awareness, acceptance and gratitude into our lives, as well as some magic! It provides us with an opportunity every 4 months to pause, check in and realign with nature’s cycles. Within these cycles, there are times for rest and reflection as well as growth and abundance.

The season of Winter is a time to go inside, both mentally and physically. It is the season for rest, reflection and restoration. Just like the natural landscape around us becoming bare and frozen, and animals scurrying away into hibernation, we too must withdraw and restore our energy.

In Chinese medicine Winter is associated with yin. Yin being represented as slow, dark, cold, rest and inward energy, unlike yang which is associated with Summer, warmth, heat, fire and high energy. Winter is linked to the kidneys, so it is vital we look after these during this season for a healthy wellbeing. Rest and warmth is essential for the kidneys as well as activities such as journalling, meditating and reading. Fear is the emotion linked to the kidneys so a good journal prompt during this season would be asking yourself, ‘What do you fear in this moment?’ or ‘What do you fear in the future?’ Allow yourself to sit with your fears and process them.

Even though we are resting in Winter, there is still a lot of work going on inside. We are releasing old ways of being, storing energy and reserving it until we can rise again in Spring with a vision and a purpose.

5 Winter rituals you can try at home

Even though we are withdrawing in Winter, there are some easy rituals we can try at home in the warmth to support the seasonal change.

1. Create a Winter ceremony

   1. Find a quiet, cosy space at home

   2. Cleanse your space with some incense

   3. Line up a collection of candles and light only 1

   4. Grab a notebook and a pen

   5. Begin to arrive into your space, taking some deep breaths and feeling into your body. Allow yourself as much time as you need.

   6. Journal with the theme ‘darkness’. Allow yourself to feel into the word. What does darkness look like to you? What darkness have you felt over the last year? What darkness do you want to let go of?

   7. Next, journal with the theme ‘light’. Allow yourself again to feel into the word. What does light look like for you? How can you invite more light into your life?

   8. Finally, set yourself some intentions for the day, month or Spring season ahead. Light the remaining candles one by one with a new intention speaking it aloud. For example, ‘I am joy. I am light.’
      
      

2. Create a Winter altar

   Creating a space for a Winter altar can help you to connect to the season both physically and mentally. You can add fresh pine, holly, dried oranges, chestnuts, photographs, meaningful objects and crystals. It could be for decoration only or you could use it as healing space through Winter where you go to journal, relax and rest.
   
   
   

3. Stillness, rest and sleep

   One of the most beneficial rituals you can do this Winter is rest. You can simply lay on your sofa or choose a restorative pose such as a ‘child’s pose’ or ‘butterfly pose’ and support yourself with cosy pillows and blankets. Restorative and Yin Yoga classes are great to try also!
   
   

4. A time to go inside

   Winter is a powerful season to journal and self-reflect. Grab a cup of tea, a notepad and a pen, and gift yourself some time to reflect on your year, what you want moving forward and how you are going to manifest it.
   
   

5. Keeping warm to restore kidney energy

   As the nights begin to get darker and temperatures drop, it is vitally important to invite more warmth into your life. You could cook a wholesome stew, light a fire or dress in cosy, thick layers.

I hope you all have a cosy Winter. Stay warm and enjoy lots of rest.

‘Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light’ - Madeleine L'Engle

Holly x

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Other similar reads:

Healing with the Season - Letting go with Autumn
Yin Yoga & The Meridian Network
What is Yin Yoga and Why Should I Practise it?