August 6th, 2015

Winter is a time of self-recollection, filling of our reserves, & gathering strength for the year ahead. We can use the energy of this season to move deeply inwards and discover the essence of our self.  

Winter is a time of peaceful stillness, nature’s energy has turned in: trees in winter look skeletal, the sap has sunk, days are colder & darker. There is work going on, but inside. The energy of winter is potent:  energy is collected and held in reserve. It is this concentrated, internal force of winter that enables a seed to burst forth in spring growth.

Reserved strength within, give us courage and strength of will. Lacking these reserves, we manifest the emotion of fear. In appropriate amounts fear is essential; caution in recognizing our limitations preserves life: But the emotion of a distressed Water element is fear of not having enough of what it takes to meet the challenge that lies ahead: as if we don’t have enough stored away to survive the winter.

Allowing ourselves to simply be still and quiet, containing our energy within ourselves, is to stand in the energy of winter. Living in a society of continual striving and exertion, we expect instant results and immediate answers. But within nature are already all the answers, we just have to be quiet enough to listen and be empty enough to be filled. This is the wisdom of water: the effortless response to its environment by taking the exact shape of whatever contains it and yielding to every unexpected change.