Wintering Well
This is our little dog Chief. He doesn't do cold, or wet, or winter. Every morning, when the house is the coldest just before sunrise, he works his way under the covers of my bed and makes himself as cozy as possible –– and he stays there until he's ready to start his day. We could all learn something from Chief.
Two weeks into the new year and I've lost track of how many people have mentioned just how rushed and frenzied life feels. This sense of urgency to launch big things and move efficiently towards a new year of goals. Most likely, your body just wants to cozy up and rest.
We forget that we're seasonal, cyclical beings. Even here in the desert and places where it's not particularly wintery, the plants are storing up energy in their roots, preparing for the next cycle of growth. In the Chinese medicine perspective, winter is the season to nourish your kidney energy. Your kidneys are your human root system, cultivating life force, longevity, and willpower. When you're conditioned to GO all the time, to push against the natural cycle, kidney energy may become depleted. Come springtime, the season that supports new growth and fresh momentum, you may find yourself too exhausted for your next cycle.
This is the season of wintering well. I read an article last week on "18 things to optimize your morning." EIGHTEEN THINGS?! No thank you. This is not what's needed.
Wintering well means less is more. If the start to your day feels rushed or chaotic, consider one thing you can do that feels slow and nourishing. Sipping a warming drink, taking time for a proper breakfast, a bit longer in the shower, or a few minutes being awake and cozy in your bed before getting up –– these are the true optimizers.
Your kidneys connect to the emotion of fear. Resisting the inclination to rest and slow down in winter can keep your nervous system in survival mode and amplify feelings of fear and anxieties. In a world that is rapidly unraveling, a sense of grounding and safety is what you crave.
Nourish your kidney energy with warmth. I've taken to placing a heating pad on my lower back, in the kidney area, for a bit while I read before going to sleep each night. Enjoy a warm bath at the end of the day. There are Moxa Heat Packs that work wonders this time of year. Bringing warmth to your kidneys, paired with moments of rest, helps signal to your nervous system that it's safe to relax, rest, and replenish.
The most productive thing you can do right now is support your roots. Creating moments of respite, no matter how small or simple, will ensure you're ready to launch forward come springtime. You might dismiss the little things you enjoy as silly or inconsequential, but I assure you those are often the most nourishing moments to strengthen your roots.
Just like little Chief, I hope you savor your own rituals of wintering well.
