Questions for Winter

Winter is the season of stillness & inquiry. Time to go deep inside and reflect on the essence of life. 

Some questions to ponder at this time of year:

• What is the state of your reserves of energy? Do you have plenty or have you run yourself down? Take the time to build up your reserves if needed. Rest. Stay warm. Drink lots of water.
  
• What practices do you have in your life that create space for stillness and reflection?
  
• A mountain lake that freezes in the winter is storing its power - when it thaws it fuels that tremendous growth of spring. Are you aware of your personal power and how you use it?
• Do you manage your energy wisely?  Do you contain your energy well or do you spill it out in your life?  Are your boundaries appropriate, allowing you to hold your own energy and use it consciously?

Practices for Winter include:

• Sleeping as much as your body needs.
• Gathering with close friends and family - time to go deep with those who mean the most to you.
• Taking a conscious rest vacation or retreat.
• Eating cooked foods - warming stews and roasted vegetables.

For more information about living in harmony with the seasons and Five-Element Acupuncture see the Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Winter

Winter is a time of quiet and depth. 

Trees are stripped of their leaves; the activity is internal.  

Animals hibernate.  Perennial plants lose their branches and leaves, appearing to be dead. 

There is stillness.  Things are down to their essence, stripped to their core.  This is the time of darkness.

Mountain lakes and rivers freeze - storing their power to fuel the growth of spring.  

This is a time for internal work: containment, meditation, collection, and storage of energy. Now is the time to restore our reserves of energy, to gather strength for the year ahead.  Snowy days force outward activity to stop.  We must be indoors.  Once we let go of our attachment to cancelled plans, these days provide a much needed Winter rest.  Time to sleep, relax, restore..

For information about Five-Element Acupuncture see the Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.   

For information about Tai Chi see taichiseattle.com

More Practices for Autumn

In Autumn we
Let Go
Move Downward
Seek Inspiration

Some Seasonal Practices:

• Resolve old gripes with those around you so that you can move on. Let go of pain that causes you unnecessary suffering. If appropriate, write down the things you need to release, then burn the paper.
• Clear out spaces where clutter collects. Do a deep clean and organize medicine cabinets, filing cabinets, storage closets.
  
• Autumn is a great time to cleanse the body. Do a short fast or eliminate toxins from you diet.
  
• Pay special attention to your lungs and breathing - exercise outdoors with an emphasis on filling your lungs with pure air and energy.
• Seek out things that inspire you - read an inspiring book, listen to music that moves you, view art that touches you.

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Autumn is here!

Autumn has definitely arrived in Seattle. Chestnuts and acorns are dropping, leaves are beginning to turn, the sun is lower in the sky, and the garden has stopped ripening summer fruits. Having provided a harvest, Nature now makes everything bare, letting go of its abundant creation in a beautiful, final display. The old leaves fall to the earth to enrich the soil for future growth and a new harvest. Sap is drawn inside. This is a time for turning inward, moving away from outer-directed energy.

We can learn from Nature about our own cycles of creation and letting go. It is natural and appropriate to step back from our lives from time to time - to assess what is of value to us and what no longer serves us. The energy of Autumn, more that any other season, supports our letting go of the waste, the old and stale in our lives, leaving us receptive to the pure and the new, granting us a vision of who we are at our essence.

Some great Autumn practices

Clean out the old:

• Go through your home and office - clean out any old junk, clothes you no longer wear, papers that have piled up, books you no longer want. Sell, give away or recycle as much as possible.
• Asses you schedule and clear out any activities that you are done with - pare down to essentials.
• If there is any unfinished business in your relationships, clean it up.

Receiving the pure energy of the season:

• Go for a walk and breathe deeply - experience the clear, crisp air and feel how much energy it gives you.
• Is there anything you want to add to your life to enhance your health, energy, or soul? Meditation, regular breathing exercise, a gratitude journal are some examples.
• Honor the friends, relatives, pets, colleagues who add to your life.