Why connecting to the seasons is so important this time of year
Welcome back!
On this chilly but sunny morning - lets chat about the seasons…
How do you feel during winter? Is it stressful? Do you look forward to this time?
I learned that when I connect to the seasons and align myself fully to each one, I feel more at peace. Especially with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I could feel the tug of winter wanting me to slow down and go inward but I didn’t make the time, until I had kids. I found myself questioning everything right along side of them. Which naturally brought me to understand on a deeper level, spiritually.
There is a special stillness in winter, that no other season can offer
We make sure to keep venturing outside so our bodies get acclimated to the changing of the seasons.
One year we watched many deer walk back and forth through our back yard & we even watched them take naps in the snow here. This picture was taken from our dining room window.
Gratitude comes first
We must also go through these seasons in our own tender souls even when everything is cold. I choose to believe that everything is connected - & that I could at any time, tap into that. I knew I couldn’t change the weather & I for sure couldn’t stop the changing of the seasons. I needed to find another way, a more empowering way of opening myself up to the change ahead. As soon as I saw what each season offered, I started thinking differently and it was like I had new pair of eyes. Like the way snow collects on the branches of an evergreen, or the way my boots crunched the ice on an otherwise silent morning. I would take the time to dress my two kids and go for chilly hikes - even when it was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was practicing. I was building up a practice that would soon feel like second nature. Unlike traditions that we as parents pass down, this was something my kids opened my eyes up to. The act of getting down at their level to see what they see, has changed the way I look at everything.
Instead of looking at winter as an inconvenience, I started to look through the eyes of gratitude. What is happening this time of year that I don’t get to see the rest of the year? What do I have the opportunity to do that I don’t usually? This puts me in the mindset of looking forward to each season and therefore, naturally connecting to them.
Even spiritually - this is a time to turn inward, a time of rest, a time to make a list of goals for the following year. Then when the sun is reborn at Winter Solstice, there is a possibility that we can also go through a rebirth. Nature is a reflection of us.
When my kids were younger we had a crazy idea. We decided to not take part in ANYTHNG holiday wise. I’m not lying! That first year we decided not to stress about seeing everyone during the week of the holidays. We did one or two holiday activities but kept it super simple. We decided to start over and spend time making our own traditions. We bought very few gifts for our kids and if we gave presents to others, it was something we made.
We were building our foundation for many years to come
Making our dried garlands.
Traditions
Having traditions is how we connect to each other and ourselves, most importantly having a tradition can also connect us back to the land.
One tradition we find simple and fun to do with our kids is making dried fruit and cranberry garlands, to hang around our home and even give as gifts. To me this symbolizes a deep gratitude for an abundant year of harvest.
We also like to bring in fallen branches of evergreen & pine cones to decorate our home with. We love focusing on natural items we can use from outside so we don’t need to buy anything or store it for next year. We just bring them right back outside in the spring.
For Winter Solstice - this will be our third annual tradition of making a spiral out of candles outside or inside along with evergreen branches. My kids had a blast setting this up last year, as they were old enough to help and understand why. After everything is set up, we wait till night fall, we light all the candles, and we all take turns walking the spiral. We have in the past invited the public, close friends and family to celebrate the darkest night of the year. To me this symbolizes our journey of a shared life with those we love & taking the time to reflect. After, we light a fire and share a meal together.
Connecting to the seasons can be both simple and profound
our spiral from last year. It was so beautiful. We waiting for all the candles to burn out before going to bed.
