How to thrive in the winter season
Darkness can be scary when we have a pattern of running away from it…but what happens if we sit quietly and play nice?
Imagine being a small child playing hide and seek. You are in a linen cabinet quietly nestled in the pitch black, patiently waiting to evade the seeker. At first you are fine, then time starts to pass, thoughts begin to race, and images appear from all angles of your mind. Fear rises with a prickly sensation and you feel unsure of what lurks without the light. You are now faced with a choice.
Do I stay and make friends with the curiosities in my inner world or do I give up my coveted cabinet hideaway and forfeit the win?
This is what we are faced with as Winter season enters. The days are short and the nights are long and we can feel alone. But if we look deeper we can see that we are presented with a powerful, potent possibility for expansion from mother nature herself.
Winter = flow with the element of water
Astrologically we move with the zodiac and energy from the cosmic universe. In nature we move with the four seasons through a life/death/life cycle of regeneration. These two are inextricably connected. As above, so below. As each of the zodiac have an element associated with them (fire, earth, air, water) so do the 4 seasons here on the planet we inhabit. This philosophy was first contemplated by Aristotle who believed that all of matter is made up of 4 simple bodies. This awareness also came to me through a meditation….we must be on to something here!
Aristotle believed that winter = water, spring = air, summer = fire, autumn = earth.
This cycle is prompted by the production of naturally occurring phenomenons: hot, dry, cold, and moist, which the simple bodies of earth, air, fire, and water are derived.
The reason this awareness is SO profound is because we know that each element carries a frequency and set of instructions of how to find balance. For example: water represents fluidity, connection with intuition, cleansing, purifying, sensitivity, creativity, and healing. During each season we can match that vibration by honoring it all the way through. We can access greater expansion, higher levels of consciousness, and deeper insight to our souls when we are in cosmic and earth bound alignment.
Here are 5 ways you can flow with the element of water this winter season and rise above overworking, dark depressive states, and feeling overwhelm by the pressure of New Years resolutions.
THE UNIVERSE IS ON YOUR SIDE…and nature is your guide.
Let go of your expectations
Winter, especially the end of a year, tends to bring an illusory set of social pressures to go full steam ahead into grand shifts in your life. Enter: New Years resolutions. I never was a fan of these because instead of inspiring hope all it ever brought to me was stress. Water’s nemesis. Instead of writing down all the things you want to change about yourself, how about making a gratitude list for all the things you have been through and all the things that are happening for you? Water likes the present moment. To heal we need to be with ourselves fully in the now. Sure, dream about the future, but stay here and let the universe support the unfolding. Try this meditation if you are feeling anxious about letting go and staying present so you can feel.
2. Free yourself from constrictive habits
Do you get stressed because of the things you commit to and then don’t want to do them? Maybe you are stuck in a drag yourself out of bed, pump yourself full of coffee, and chaotically navigate the day until you crash. Could it be the opposite? That you have so many routines that you feel completely out of alignment when you don’t do your 20 step morning ritual? Either way…water likes fluidity. This winter challenge yourself to wake up in the morning and ask yourself “what do I need today?” and really listen. When we listen to what we need we can better be intuitive with our life….water season’s BIG ask. Let go of control…find your flow. Anything that feels tight and limiting has to be a big fat no. The universe will adjust and reward you by showing you way new creative ways to build momentum.
3. Rest, rest, and more rest
Winter season is dark for a reason. It’s for resting. Don’t overbook yourself, take on too many tasks, or over commit. Say yes to a bath, quiet meditation, naps, and moving slow. You are regenerating and preparing for spring which is Air season…this is all about intellect, connecting, communing, and building energy…so take this time and honor it. You will feel so ready to be buzzing around the spring equinox! Hydrate yourself, nourish your body with healthy foods, and test out that skin care routine you’ve been putting off. Make your life a spa experience. If you’re a work-a-holic, this probably is sending your nervous system into a tail spin…don’t worry, you can still work! Just be mindful of your boundaries. Set aside time to work by time blocking and truly putting it away when it’s time. I bet your ideas will be more complete and the structure of creation more intact if you just give your body what it needs.
4. Rewrite your boundaries
I love this one. It’s changed my life! Imagine you standing in an empty space, only black around you. There are four invisible, glowing lines around your body. You know they are there but no one else can see them. One side of the box is your top 3 priorities (in order of importance), another side is your belief systems, another is what you value (time, attention, presence, etc.), the last side is your goals and dreams. When we are spending time in our feelings and really honoring the flow of our lives we need to know WHAT we are in flow with! You can create a little diagram of these four things that way others will feel them. This is the more radical form of self love and self care…just watch the world shift around you when you stay true! Here are a few podcast episodes I did on boundaries…this is 100% the most important water season thing you can do.
E76: What’s good for you, is good for everyone else
5. Channel and flow
Instead of going gung-ho and hustling to put together a new project right away, how about communing with your higher self to see if you are on the path of manifesting from your soul…or your ego? I love free writing and channeling from my inner guidance…it’s so powerful to get insight right from the source, YOU. Here is a meditation you can try to get connected with that space inside of you that holds all the answers. Get it out on paper. See what you really want. Spend time dreaming about your visions, feeling into why you want it to happen, and writing down ideas to get you there. If it feels right, start creating! Just make sure you stay true to 1-4 and you will be good to go. The universe is helping you. Nature is supporting you. You do not have to burn yourself out to make life feel alive!
All my love! Kelli
Enjoy the water. Like swimming in the ocean…ride the waves! Let her take you on a journey. Emotions will come and they will go. The beautiful thing about each season, it’s all temporary. If you start to feel afraid in this darker season…shine your light even brighter. Illuminate your inner world and let the messages be your teachers. You are doing amazing things! I am so happy for you.
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