Gifts of Darkness
Though we are coming back from the darkest time of the year, many are still affected by the lack of sunlight and I hear complaints of a weariness that sets in in January for many. Seasonal affective Disorder is a real condition and there are many who suffer from it. This newsletter is not about SAD or clinical depression, it is addressing the non diagnosable experience of “the blues” that many who live in the Northern hemisphere this time of year experience. Changing my perspective from dread of this time of year to embracing the opportunity to practice what my Danish ancestors call Hygge has shifted the experience of Winter for me.
This time of year creates a natural slowing down and the intention to go within. I’ve begun incorporating more gentle and restorative practices such as making a warm drink and sitting in front of the fire, wrapping up in my favorite blanket with a candle and a book, and soaking in a warm tub. I admit that there is a certain delight I get when the roads are too snowy to go someplace and I can cancel plans and curl up in front of a good show with my dog on my lap.
After the holidays, I love to slow my pace and create a softer rhythm to flow in.
Knowing that this time is unique and will pass helps me to lean into whatever opportunities there are to find contentment in the darkness. What can it teach when I am quieter and in a slower pace? How can I hear in a way that the noise of other times of the year may drown out? I often utilize this season to empty out and purge the excess in my life, whether it is a closet, my inbox, or collected piles of mail and correspondence that I neglected during the holiday season. I also find my gratitude for those around me grows in the absence of a heavy social calendar. For me the space gives me time to reflect and feel thankful for the people who show up in my life and love me.
May you find the gifts in the darkness and the still small voice in the quiet this year and experience your life in a gentle, kind, and compassionate way.