Winter Solstice and How to love the darkness.
Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year but yet always feels like the longest day of the year as well considered to be the first day of winter. Starting after solstice, we will be getting more and more daylight each day.
Winter is the season to sit deeper within yourself, seeking rest, replenishment and reflection. Winter is the season of storage and preparation. It is important to take care of your activity level during the winter months. While the season if very busy, you must be very careful not to run your batteries down. Recognize the ways you can recharge your batteries, as each person will be different in their needs. For myself, I incorporate slower mornings, fresh squeezed juices, hydration, changed nutrition and overall, just a slower pace. On the weekends we try to keep the tv off but just enjoy reading – especially in the sunroom if the sun is out. I have to give myself space and time to use creativity to recenter and recharge.
Movement:
It is important to move every joint every day. This can be in the form of exercise, yoga, stretching, walking, or tai chi. Circulating energy will help open up joints, release residual resistance, clearing out any stagnation. You will feel lighter, stronger, clearer with more overall energy.
Breathing:
Deep breathing will help with overall circulation as well opening up energies and releasing anxiety. Regular practice of deep breathing techniques can enhance sleep quality and improve overall rest and recovery. By increasing oxygenation, you can support lung function when the air quality may be compromised. This increase oxygenation can help combat fatigue.
Light:
Bring in the light. Each day getting outside to soak in the daylight, even if it’s only for a minute or two, is also a biggie, not only for some fresh air in your lungs, but also the boost in the vitamins and balancing chemicals critical to staving off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). For myself, I have incorporated using a sunrise simulating alarm clock that brightens the room 10 minutes before my alarm which naturally awakens the body. The use of a seasonal affective lamp or glasses can help aid in energy especially later into the day.
Change:
And for when you’re really in a funk? Changing up your environment such as getting out of the house, head to a coffee shop to work, go enjoy time at a local park hiking, check out a local bookstore, making new connections through classes and events, and if you have the bandwidth, giving back to your community, are all surefire tools for winter survival.
If all else fails, the darkest stretch of the year is only about six weeks. Though it feels long, it’s a surprisingly short swath of time, so we might as well do our best to embrace it. Winter Solstice is a reminder that the darkness will start to lead back to the lightness. It is ok to slow down and rest in preparation for spring renewal.
BALANCED TREE REFLEXOLOGY 