The winter season may seem energetically passive and in many ways it is. Shorter days, reduced natural light, cold temperatures and less color all affect us. If you are someone who doesn’t enjoy winter sports and shoveling snow you might find yourself trapped indoors.
Wintertime changes how we feel, what we eat, how we sleep, where we travel, who we spend time with and activities we do. Being tired becomes the norm and it’s easy to complain of lack of vitality, energy and stamina. You may even notice a strong desire to withdraw from your social activities. Our productivity drops and the exhaustion from day to day living can become overwhelming. Yet these are not symptoms of sickness– we are simply in a slower state forced by nature to protect our reserves, to recuperate, to relax and hibernate for few months.
Nature has its way – and it is very persistent! If you do not follow natures’ agenda in winter your body will drain itself from the little energy it has and you will increase your chances of getting sick. Winter invites you to rest and recuperate. Its rhythm has a slower pace. Winter recharges your life batteries by slowing you down.
This is the time to dive into your inner-self. This is the time to be less action oriented and more internally focused. Being quiet in the winter is in harmony with its rhythm. Winter is when I most enjoy listening to music in solitude and when I allow harmonious notes take me into the world of imagination. Before I go to sleep I love listening to the Shakuhachi flute. The frequency of the energy transmitted through the Shakuhachi helps to tune our frequency and brings us to a place of peace and calm.
It is only an illusion that nothing really happens during wintertime, because this is when nature nurtures the seeds within its depths.
The truth is, life bubbles inside. The life force builds up internally, waiting patiently to release into action during the first days of spring. So, it will be of great benefit to you to stay calm, be peaceful and become creative with your inner life. Invest your energy smartly. Allow yourself to sleep longer, read more, eat less, write down your thoughts and watch movies! Take long walks and listen to sounds of wind through the trees, or the silence of a winter forest. Do activities like qigong, yoga and meditation. Open to your inner–self and capture the essence of your life. Become an artist of self-discovery in the winter so that you may bloom in spring to become a “new you”.
The Chinese considered the winter season a water element that is associated with harmonious flow and adaptability. In our body the water element is represented by kidney and bladder meridians. The bladder meridian runs through the whole back and governs your nervous system. Next time you have a stressful day have someone stroke your back gently for a few minutes making large and small figure 8 patterns. This can also be done in your energetic field about 1 to 2 inches away from your physical body. Lie down on your belly and let go of your thoughts for a few minutes. Have your partner softly draw figure 8s through and along your neck, shoulders, upper and lower back. Notice the lightness you feel after just a few minutes. If lying down is not an option just sit with your back towards your partner supporting the front of your body against some soft surface draped over the back of a chair. The result will be the same.
Remember – stress affects your circulation so allow yourself to relax and feel the gentle calm when your back gets a mini treatment.
Some More Ideas to Help you make it through winter…
Our body pulls in energies of Earth via the Kidney 1 point (K1) located at the ball of your foot. When K1 is opened you will feel more alive and grounded. You can stretch and massage the bottoms of your feet paying attention to the K1 point every day. You can also massage the bottom of your feet with a stainless-steel spoon. The ferromagnetic properties of a stainless-steel spoon help negatively charged electrons travel up the body and balance it. It’s a good practice to slap your feet. This helps the energy travel upwards and strengthens the kidney system, therefore it helps pacify your mind and heart.
Another powerful point to hold on kidney meridian is Kidney 3 (K3). It is known as a source point – a reservoir of energy. Courage and determination can be boosted by holding this point daily. You will find it on the medial side of your foot between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon. Massage the area with your thumbs for a few minutes and watch flexibility of joints returning. If you hold the point directly on the opposite side of the Achilles, Bladder 60 (BL 60), you will be able to relax your lower back and neck. Bladder meridian has ascending properties and moves energies down from head to feet where it discharges to earth.
A beneficial practice is tracing the kidney meridian and tapping its last point called K27 right under the collar bone. If you feel stiff, or if you have ear problems like tinnitus – stretch, pump or hold your Mingmen point located on the spine in line with your navel. A good practice is to connect Mingmen to K3. Hold for a few minutes and feel energy percolate through you. Your whole body will be humming with aliveness in the most peaceful and harmonious way.
You can avoid stagnation by stretching your body any possible way. Try using:
- Child’s Pose
- Connecting Heaven and Earth
- Belly Stretch
- Belt Flow
- Face Stretch
- Crown Pull
Massaging your Neurolymphatic reflexes are all easy and good practices in every season. Neurolymphatic reflexes feel good when you massage them while taking a bath. Put some sea salt or Epsom salt in your bath, soak in and draw small circles with your fingers along the Neurolymphatic reflexes. Move slowly, gradually deeply. Stay longer on reflexes that are very sensitive.
One of my favorite things to do is to draw figure 8s in my aura with my hands. I imagine my fingers are paintbrushes and the colors that come from them blend in a mosaic of blues, purples greens and oranges. I feel like a live painting!
For me Winter is magical with its invitation to be mindful about life, nature and balance. I do not fight being slower, melancholy or tired. I accept the invitation from nature to go within – to maintain inner peace and to protect my energy reserves. By doing so, I can enjoy the vitality which will burst forth as winter turns to spring.
