I don’t like winter. For me winter is to be endured, not embraced. The short, cold days leave me feeling trapped inside. Without a flower or leaf in sight, I long for Mother Nature to show her colors again. The tedious layering up to go outside makes me wonder if that trip to the coffee shop is worth it. (FYI…it is.)
And then, like an unexpected gift, there it was. Last week. A 70-degree, sun shiny day! Outside. No coat. No hat. Sunglasses. Spring-in-February. Ahhh! But right in the middle of my bliss, a friend said the strangest thing: ‘I hope spring isn’t here already. I’m not ready. I’m not done hibernating.’
Wait…what?!!!???
Shocked, I argued. I resisted. And then I realized. I’m not ready either. The work of Winter is not done.
In the 5 Element theory of Asian medicine Winter is associated with the Water Element. As the cycle of the 5 Elements goes, in Spring (the Wood Element) the seed sprouts, bursting from the ground with all the potential of a new year. In heat of the Summer (Fire) that sprout grows and matures into a fruitful plant, in Late Summer (Earth) we harvest the crop. In Fall (Metal) the plant withers and returns to earth providing fertile soil for next year. And finally in Winter (Water) there is dormancy, rest. And so much more.
Now, with just a few weeks left in Winter it is time to shift our focus. And to get to work. What if, rather than viewing Winter as the end of a cycle, we see it as the important beginning of a new cycle. What if, despite our stillness on the outside, we direct our attention, and intention, to the important work that is happening inside us, deep down where the seed of the new growth cycle is formulating. What if we appreciate the barren landscape as an opportunity to see with greater clarity. Just as the trees have less leaves to obstruct our view into the horizon, perhaps, too, our lives have less ‘leaves’ (less busyness) to distract our view into the future. And what if we embrace our layering up as evidence that we choose to act with discernment this time of year to protect our selves and our valued resources from the cold.
These aspects of stillness, clarity, and discernment enable us to direct our energy to the wisdom and intuition that lie deep with us that we may rediscover our potential and commit to our purpose for the growing season ahead.
Isn’t Winter great!