Winter’s back – and so it’s time to return to my series of seasonal blogs and look at how to beat the winter blues. Each time I revisit these blogs, I gain a more nuanced understanding, and my toolkit for flourishing improves. And so, I hope you don’t mind the occasional repetition and that you too can embrace sitting with the familiar to gain a deeper resonance. And that, my friends, is really key to this time of year. [...]
So the Autumn Equinox fell in the early hours of this morning (September 23 2022). In the Chinese Solar Terms, this actually marks the half way point of autumn so we’re well into the season. But outside the window, what we think of as autumn is only just starting (oh and yes a little inside too with the annual spider invasion - check out one of my fave cartoons about this). I know a lot of [...]
Well, we’re back here again. Winter, the season of ultimate yin – cold, dark, hidden, internal - and for many a time of dread. But this season is so important. So how can we make winter work for us, and beat the winter blues? I used to hate winter and couldn’t wait for the longer, warmer days. I would be sluggish, dull, craving sunlight, and battling it every step of the way. My relationship with the seasons transformed when [...]
In Chinese Medicine, there is an extra season - Late Summer - which is associated with the Earth element. It corresponds to this time of harvest, as the peak of summer moves into the decline of autumn. In some traditions, it is also the time of transition between all of the seasons - the still point as one ends and the next begins. It is a time of nourishment, of gathering and storing. It is the last chance of [...]
Well, according to the Chinese solar terms, we’ve now moved into summer. And once again I'm writing about the benefits of tuning into the energy of the season, whilst we’re still in circumstances that make that tricky. Perhaps the transition of “Stay Home” into “Stay Alert” gives us a little more opportunity to be outside. However, we're still living with the reality of a pandemic so this summer is likely to be an odd one. But, as I’ve said [...]
So I would normally have sent out my tips for a healthy, happy spring by now but I paused because of the coronavirus situation. I questioned if it was relevant or even superficial. Spring is when we welcome the longer, lighter days and a return to a more external life. It’s a time of renewal, growth, vision, inspiration and hope. And that seems at odds with what's going on and the distress and fear I’m encountering regularly in my [...]
Winter can be a really tricky time. The cold and dark means that we tend to live a more internal life. For some this can cause fear, isolation and sadness. Energy levels naturally dip and if life is expected to continue with the same level of drive and exertion, problems can arise. Sometimes, it's the busy-ness of life that stops us sitting with ourselves, knowing ourselves, and being OK with ourselves. If we're not happy with ourselves, then this [...]
