The Nature of Winter
The start of winter commences when the harvest is over, and the end of the year draws near. It’s a time of feasting, celebration, and reflection.
According to the Gregorian calendar and modern American society, winter is not so much about endings, as it is about new beginnings. In winter we engage in the highest degrees of Capitalism: grabbing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, purchasing and gifting the newest products. We ring in the New Year, set new goals, and start off the year with better habits like eating healthier and going to the gym. We talk about our resolutions and lead with a #NewYearNewMe mindset. If even just for a moment (which unfortunately it usually is), we find hope in the altered perception of time, in the possibility of change, and in the rapid shift into an uplifting energy. It’s as if we collectively have decided to do our best to glide over the less palatable feelings that winter may bring. It’s commonly known that the winter months can leave us feeling cold, withdrawn, or energy depleted. I wonder how much of that is due to the stark contrast in how we typically engage with the winter season, compared to the way the rest of nature engages with it.
According to nature, winter is a time of rest and restoration. The bears hibernate, the dear shed their antlers, the trees become deciduous, the sheep grow a wool coat, and the birds migrate north. Plants slow their growth, lakes freeze over, some parts of nature die off completely, others wait to be born anew.
There is a quietness in winter, there is grief and longing in winter. There can feel like more darkness and less sunlight; more isolation, and an absence of connection. Especially so, when we try and force a puzzle piece of fresh starts, new beginnings, and more productivity, into the puzzle of winter’s true purpose and design. What could happen if we reframe our understanding of winter as a season of restfulness, a restorative process honoring stillness, acknowledging where we’ve been, and preserving our energy so as to be ready to plant the seeds of our growth in the next season?
I invite you to take care during this season, and explore how you are tending to your own rest and rejuvenation. I invite you to take time to check in with yourself.
I offer the following prompts to help you explore deeper:
How do you honor and acknowledge where you are right now?
How do you relate to stillness? Is it comfortable? Unpleasant?
Where might you be able to invite more stillness, rest, or ease into your life?
How can you give honor to your season of rest?
How do you make room for the feelings this season brings?
Is there room for grief and loss?
Is there room for transition and change?
How might you take care of yourself this season?
Where might you find community care and be cared for by others?
Author Profile
Chelsey Reese
Chelsey is an Atlanta native, who has called Los Angeles home for 5+ years. She
is a relational therapist, certified sound healer, and the founder of the health and
wellness platform, Power Through Process. She hosts events centered on
building community and she is passionate about holding space to engage in
healing and wellness.