"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, fast the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth."
-Thoreau
It feels like winter blew in this week. The heat is on at my house, cozy layers are being worn, and I am busy planning a wonderful holiday and winter season filled with family traditions and memories (imprinting) for my beloved girls. Ayurveda encourages us to be tuned into the seasons to create balance and wellness. Here are seven suggestions that I encourage you to reflect on influenced by my appreciation for Ayurveda.
Many of the season's holidays center around light during the darkest days around the solstice of winter. I am finding myself a little more witchy after the birth of my second daughter. I'm beginning to notice the importance of season changes as I practice each year to be more tuned into the changes the seasons bring. It is aligned with the mindfulness I bring into raising my two daughters. As I create traditions and ri
tuals guided by the seasons, I am feeling more at ease with changes. And, what better practice and preparation is this to the ever changing of raising children!
Here are some ways to stay in tuned with winter to create inner peace, balance, and wellness.
Get Outside. Put on those layers! Keep warm and cozy as you wonder through nature. Are the leaves falling? Is there frost on the branches and blades of grass? What is the smell? The noise? I absolutely love the quiet and stillness of winter.
Slow Down. It's a time of hibernation.
Bring the Season Inside. I love decorating this time of year! This is part witchy I think too. I love placing pumpkins and gourds on the mantle for Thanksgiving. I love bringing in winter branches and dried oranges inside for Christmas and beyond. I love snowflakes sprinkled around the home. It's like witchy Martha Stewart. And, it's helpful to create a calm space to live in.
Eat Warm Foods. A yummy warm breakfast, root vegetables and tahini for lunch, and a nourishing stew for dinner. Yum, yum, and yum.
Reflect. There's power in reflecting on the year as it comes to a close and creating intentions of what you want to focus on cultivating for the next. I approach this as focussing on something I want to keep in my life vs like a weight loss goal or something fitness related. But, rather focusing on my mediation practice for a year, or focusing on creating more memories for the family, etc. Each year builds on the next to create a rich and happy life.
Nourishing Movement. For some this will be a heavy time of year, so the potential for the need to active had a more flowy practice might move some of the stagnation. For others with so much on their mind and schedules, it may be the need to take a slower practice. Pause. Tune into your body so you can hear it's own messages or desires. I love the phrase, "listen to the song of your spine". I heard this from one of my Pilates mentors once, and I giggled but, then it really landed on me.
More Tips below:
https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/seasonal-guides/winter-guide/
