Winter as a season is a season of cold and darkness for those of us in the northern parts of the country. Snow makes a regular appearance, as do freezing rain and ice. The days are short, and some days sunshine seems in short supply. In response, we stay inside, bundle up when we need to venture out, and watch our weather forecasts in the hope we can be prepared for what winter dishes out.
All to often winter occurs as a major hassle — limiting what we can do, sometimes stopping us altogether. We mutter and curse the snow, sludge and cold, making plans to take a vacation somewhere warm.
In the process we often forget the value of winter for our world and our bodies. Winter, in Chinese Medicine, is the season of water, the time of storage, the period of deepest Yin. The snow and rain refill reservoirs so we won’t have drought come the summer. The land lies fallow, allowing decomposition to start, bringing new nutrients to the soil.
In the same way our bodies need time to refill our mental, emotional and spiritual reservoirs. We need rest to regenerate our cells, lay down memories, and integrate new thoughts. We need time to sort through the multiplicity of demands on our life and decide which are worth our life force, and which are more of a drain with little return.
Winter’s darkness and slow periods grant us the opportunity to stop, slow down, rest. The question always is: can we we see the gift being offered us by life, or are we too caught up in doing to take in what is on offer?
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