So after a long hiatus from blogging, here’s my belated winter post:

While there isn’t much to punctuate the time when we are blanketed in darkness and cold besides fleece and down, ancient cultures used this as a time of deep introspection and healing.  In Chinese medicine, the season of Winter is associated with the Kidney organ, where all of our primordial wisdom and physical energy reserves are located.  A respite from normal toil was expected during this time, and people would gather with their elders, catching up on embroidery and other household chores.

Just as Nature as turs life above ground to something desolate and seemingly hostile, the potential for the future is righteously seeded underneath just waiting for the few degrees of warmth to start a solid ascension from it’s fertile cradle. Taking time for yourself during this season is essential to collect energy reserves to last you all year.  It is during the Winter when we catch up on sleep, nurture our bodies with hearty stews, and keep ourselves active with a more gentle regime than usual.

Here are some examples of ways to keep healthy and sane in these last winter weeks:

1. Eat a variety of seaweeds and dark foods – they are symbolic Kidney foods!

2. Grass-fed, free range meats – eat small portions daily as they are warming.  Add ginger to your stews to enhance this effect, especially if you are someone who runs on the cold side.

3. Take time to meditate or take a walk every day (well bundled, of course).

4. Get good sleep.  In natural medicine, we are taught that each hour you go to bed before midnight counts for two, compared to the less nourishing post-witching hour sleep.   Try to get to bed by 10pm nightly, at the latest.

5. Most importantly, Laugh!!

Be Well and enjoy our gradual warming to the Spring season!