Riding the Tide into the Dark and Quiet Night of Winter

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

—Benjamin Franklin

A concept that has become a cornerstone to my practice is that because we are part of nature, to maintain health, one must live in tune with the rhythms on nature. Humans have designed our lifestyles to be separate from nature in every aspect imaginable. No matter the level of progress - as some like to call it – the foundation of what it means to be a living creature on this planet doesn’t change. Because we are made of energy, our energetic frequencies are greatly affected by the changing in the light and temperature. While all other living plants and animals enter into some form of hibernation during this time of year, society has sought to normalize activity levels being consistent throughout the year.

I don’t know about you, but if I listen to my body in the winter, it feels a lot more natural to be getting into bed earlier - for longer periods - doing less, reading more, and cooking at home. Spending more time in meditation and introspection.

So, while it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life, I know that if I follow nature’s rhythms, it will pay off in dividends as the Spring Equinox approaches and it’s time to plant new seeds, literally and figuratively, for the busy year ahead.

As my husband and I work hard to create the lives that give us purpose, connection, and joy, we find ourselves having frequent conversations about what success means to us. To me, success is being able to live a life that is authentic to me. Not what my parents want, not what society wants from me, but what I want. It can be surprisingly difficult for people to figure out what wants are truly authentic to them. I believe this is because people don’t spend enough time in that quiet state of self-reflection.

December 21st is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. December 23rd is the new moon, marking the darkest night of the year. There is a tradition in Scandinavian culture where Saint Lucia wears a candle studded wreath upon her head and delivers saffron (or turmeric) buns and coffee to her community at night to provide nourishment and warmth on the darkest night of the year. As I start new traditions in our family, I am going to do this on December 22nd this year as its right between the darkest night and the longest night.

As the tradition of Saint Lucia suggests, it is good to nourish our bodies and souls by meeting these harsh times with the opposite. The saffron (or turmeric) buns are yellow to represent the sun we don’t see much of in the winter. It is also good to embrace the season we are in. Specifically, to embrace the quiet. It is where you will integrate what has happened in this previous year and ultimately where you will find your authentic self. Next, embrace the darkness. We all have our shadows, and when we shine the light on them, they are not the same. They are not as scary. This is where we find our self-worth to fearlessly create a vision for our lives. Therefore, by embracing this magical time of the year for what it is, we are manifesting greater health and happiness in the year to come.

Now for a note for parents, who want to rest, but have crazy children running all around. While the quiet part is likely impossible to achieve, I’ve thought of some fun and funny games one can play with their children that facilitates rest for the parent.

Monster On the Bed

Lay on your bed and rest. Tell your little that you are monster who won’t let them on the bed/ When they crawl on the bed, gently push them away with your arms and legs.

See You Later, Alligator

Pretend to be alligator sleeping on the ground. Tell your little they have to sneak past you without waking you up.

Criss Cross Passsage

Lay on your back. Cross one leg over the other. Let your little crawl between your legs, trapping them under your leg while you stretch and they have fun trying to get free.