Embracing Winter

It’s winter. As the cold days persist I hear a familiar conversation around me. “I know we need the rain, but I am so over this weather.” I can appreciate the polite acknowledgement of our need to replenish water supplies which precedes the more honest protest of our current climate. And for all the bitter commentary, gloomy dispositions, and added layers of clothing, winter isn’t going anywhere.

I’ve heard it said that life is simply a series of seasons. I remember attending a weekend training with a wise sage who reminded the group that in our Western culture we are not taught to honor seasons. He reminisced of Native American tribes who respect and even celebrate the ebb and flow of seasons. When we learn to sit a little deeper in the reality of what is, we can access greater wisdom and other resources in this moment- as uncomfortable as it may be.

I am not required to like winter. In fact I am a self-professed “wimp” when it comes to the cold. So I bundle up a little more, surrender to the lure to hunker down, and remember “this too shall pass.”

When you find yourself in a personal winter, notice, are you in acceptance or resistance? Both have distinct energies. How does acceptance feel in your body? How does resistance feel? You can notice the difference, and choose the stance that supports you best until the climate changes.

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