Even as we approach the vibrant summer months, and the days grow long
and bright here in California, I’ve been thinking about winter. I grew
up in France which has long, gray, snowy months sometimes starting as
early as October. Now that I live in Los Angeles and bask in the
sunshine nearly every day, I sometimes get pangs of nostalgia for those
cold, meditative days of being snuggled up inside and watching the bare
tree branches wave against the sky. I snap out of those pretty quickly
and run outside and smell flowers or chase butterflies. Even if it’s
January. Yes, the weather here is dreamalicious.
But I think there is something to seasons. They’re a perfect metaphor
for human life- not least of which is our ambitions. Some of the
self-help world is pushing to “achieve”, climb, “conquer” and “master”
the self. We definitely need to find the fire to get where we want to
go. And we need to overcome the inertia that can come from fear. But
Mother Nature is far wiser than the ego.
Have you ever worked so hard that you’ve nearly forgotten what it was
you set out to do in the first place? Sometimes, after sitting at my
desk for ten hours at a stretch, I am nearly delirious. I’ve certainly
gotten things done but I’m not entirely sure how well. Or how
creatively. Or how self-lovingly. My daughter will sometimes call at
these moments and remind me I have a name. And a greater purpose.
The ancient Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu said, “Nature does not hurry,
yet everything is accomplished.” Ah, yes. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Farmers know that crops must be rotated in order to keep the land
fertile. And sometimes, land must go unplanted for a period of time in
order to fully regenerate the nutrients in the soil. Is this
unproductive? I think you know the answer.
Winter serves a purpose. It’s a time when Nature rests- but it is not
stagnant. Just because a process is subtle doesn’t mean it’s not
happening at all. Doctors all agree that proper sleep is key to our
well-being and helps everything from overcoming illness to handling
emotional crises. Sleeping sure doesn’t look like much from the outside
but try going without it. (No, don’t! I’m just making a point.)
Your inner ground needs winter. Plant your seeds and let go. Give
more respect to the cycles that govern the earth- they’re good for you
too. Winter gives birth to the buds of spring and the glory of summer.
So rest. Revive. Renew. Embrace your seasons.
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