“Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs.”
― Katherine May
In December the journalling group I lead met online to explore the concept of Wintering. We looked at quotes from the beautiful book, Wintering by Katherine May as we considered how we could more fully embrace the Winter season. We concluded that it was a time to go inwards, to reflect and nourish ourselves in preparation for Spring. We each had our own ideas of how we would put this into practice.
For me it’s been a time of slowing down and using my journal to reflect on what I would like to do in 2023. Instead of sitting at my desk I’ve found it helpful to journal curled up on the sofa next to the fire, pausing occasionally to watch the dancing flames which spark my thoughts and imagination.
I’ve felt a need for warmth. Not only the warmth of the fire, but of warming soups and food. Hot showers. Winter sunshine in a sheltered spot where I can sit and absorb the energy, almost like a battery recharging.
I’m enjoying embracing the Winter months, enjoying each moment without longing for time to accelerate to summer. It’s been a more mindful way of living.
There is an ancient Celtic festival connected to the goddess Brigid called Imbolc. It’s celebrated on or around February 1st and marks the half-way point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. It draws our attention to the fact that new shoots are beginning to poke through the earth marking new beginnings. We may also be sensing this in our own lives as we come up with new ideas and plans.
Yesterday was February 1st, and I felt a sudden urge to go and walk along my favourite coastal path. So off I went. The light was clear, the sea calm. I felt energetic as I walked along in the winter sunshine. Here and there I spotted new buds on trees, and the beginnings of flowers pushing through the ground.
When I got to the beach it was deserted, apart from a few people wandering along. I sat down in the sand, appreciating the isolation, listening to the soothing waves on the shore, the breath of the ocean, and feeling gratitude for this sense of connection to nature.
JOURNAL PROMPT: Do you enjoy the rhythm of the seasons? Are you feeling inspired at the moment with new ideas and plans?
Mindful Journalling Connections 