Time to Winter

For all of December and the first week of January I lost track of time. I forgot it was winter more days than I realized as I traveled in the hot and humid climate of South India and Sri Lanka. It technically was still winter in that part of the world but my sensory experience was that of summer. This created immense confusion in my body. As my body was preparing for winter all of November, I got tossed into summer half way around the world as soon as December started.

I have been living by the seasons very intentionally the past two years. I have honored the speeding up that comes with spring and the slowing down that arrives with fall. 2021 my life mimicked the seasons so terribly perfectly that I could not avoid it. Since then, I have found a rhythm in seasonal living that aligns with my being. It has been the hardest but most gratifying journey to be on.

So taking myself into summer weeks before the winter solstice was not exactly what my body expected. I am feeling the repercussions of my own chosen actions. Five weeks in sunshine and heat felt amazing. I loved most of the chaotic and action filled days of traveling but my body never felt settled. I always felt a bit off kilter.

Now I’m back in the cold and dreary winter of prague. I have been here for four full days and my body is begging for me to tuck into winter. I love this city and I want to explore, but I cannot muster the energy. My will and my capacity are not aligned.

One beautiful lesson I have come to learn about the seasons is this. You cannot skip a season without consequence. Summer requires the awakening of spring to bloom. Autumn requires the long days of summer to produce bountiful harvests. Winter requires the letting go of autumn to survive the long nights. And spring requires the cold and quiet winter to have the energy needed for all the growth to come.

My body also requires each season to move forward as designed. I need the rest of winter to gather energy and slowly develop momentum. If I try to push past the rest, my capacity lowers. Without wintering, my proverbial cup is not filled. I would arrive at spring and have half the water I need to grow all the things.

I planted many seeds in my life the last year. Many are waiting patiently to be tended to. But my mind, body and spirit are telling me now is not the time. Watering my garden in winter isn’t the most effective growth strategy.

What I’m feeling is seasonal confusion. I jumped around the globe and found summer when I was meant to be in my deepest winter. So now, back in winter, my body is trying to make up for lost time. I am craving so much rest. More than I logically think I need. But I have learned enough over the past few years to know I should listen. My body holds wisdom beyond my intellect. And when I listen, really listen, I am never led astray.

So here I am, in the magical city of Prague, but all I can do is rest. Today, after a slow start to my day, I began packing my lunch to head into the city. I wanted to do some solo exploration as my friends were at work. But a few minutes before I walked out the door, I felt the need to sit down and rest. I knew today was not the day to go out and explore. Today was a day of rest. A day of allowing myself to be in winter.

For me, this call to rest used to feel like failure. As if the inability to push through and continue to be productive was a moral failing. I must be weak if I have to slow down and do less. This is not just me, today’s society does not honor the seasons. We forget we are simply part of nature. It is in our DNA to be cyclical beings. Being productive and ‘on’ 24/7 all year long is slowly killing us.

No animal has the same activity level year round. No plant constantly grows. There are times of rest and times of rapid growth. Both are needed to continue forward. Again, the necessity of opposites is making itself known clearly in my life. When I rest fully and sink into my personal winter, my cup is filled and growth abounds when summer finally arrives.

So today I will spend more hours horizontal then vertical. I will watch Disney movies on my friends brand new TV and drink copious amounts of herbal tea while eating all the snacks. I will tuck myself into the cozy warmth of the futon and let my mind body and spirit rest. The beautiful part about seasonal living is I am constantly reminded that nothing is permanent. No season lasts forever. The more I accept the season I am in, the more ease I find in the transitions to the next.

So don’t fight winter. Don’t hate the cold because it slows you down. Don’t get mad at how your mood shifts when the sun is more shy. Simply notice how different our bodies and minds feel with this quieter time of the year. Accept the slower pace, find a cozy spot and a good cup of tea. Spring will be here soon!