Mindful Winter.

Yet another winter is upon us and yet again most of us (un)welcome it with a big sigh of disappointment. Almost like we are surprised that it dared to come along, again…
Short days, long nights, low temperatures, lack of seasonal veg and fruit. Often lack of energy, too. Is it just what Jack Frost can offer us? Inspired by my time spent at the winter retreat with Lama Rod Owens (a leading voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers), I’m going to reflect on how to become more aware of winter’s richness and as a result, experience it mindfully.

Traditionally, every season provides us with significance, and we can easily point it out. Spring is the season of awaking and new beginnings. Summer is about keeping active and spending a lot of time in nature. Autumn, gathering fruits of our labour (whatever “fruit” you have collected). Are we aware of winter’s benefits though?

According to our ancestorial wisdom, winter is very important. Dedicated to turning inwards, towards our body and mind. Time for slowing down, resting, conserving energy before another spring awaking. Also summarising what has happened in the past three seasons and learning from it. Maybe even time to grieve after what has left us for good, before the cycle makes a full loop. If this is the case, it is time to notice and reflect on the void appearing after the loss we experienced. In addition, Lama Rod gives this powerful message: “Winter is dedicated to opening to suffering. Ours and others”.

Overall, it sounds like winter has an essential place in our yearly cycle however, we often skip this time by thinking what can spring bring us. So how to live through winter mindfully as opposed to how we usually feel about it? An even bigger question is, how to live through it mindfully when in modern times, winter’s purpose is far from our ancestors’. Can we ignore that in our culture, January is all about new beginnings – getting a new/fit body, finding a new hobby, a new job, a new you?

So how to balance what we need and what the world wants from us during wintertime? Lama Rod gives us some simple yet important tips. First, ask yourself a question: what needs to be done this season? And even more importantly, what doesn’t need to be done? Be honest with your answers and do only what REALLY is in demand. Use the time you have left, for resting. And I would add: if possible, don’t start new but reflect on the recent past together with learning from it. THEN move on.

And when talking about resting, it is a good time to observe and verify where your energy usually goes. Do that by asking yourself: do I get my energy back from those places? The point is, protecting your energy is not just about resting but also about calling the energy back from the places where you get nothing (and I mean NOTHING) in return.

Secondly, if you meditate, practice Loving Kindness Mediation. Focusing on sending love and gratitude to the people you love, to the people you know and last but not least to yourself, stands in a great harmony with a reflective tone of the season.

And the final thought, bizarrely winter is not the only season for resting and contemplating. No doubts, colder and shorter days help us to stay in and reflect but it doesn’t mean that this can’t happen to people living in hotter climates. “It is all about intention and dedication, not about low temperatures”, Lama Rod concludes with a smile…

And I’m going to leave you with an invitation to reflect on what is the meaning of winter to you.

Keep warm and keep mindful!
Jo xx