DARKNESS & LIGHT

Practice Off The Mat

Vol. 1 Issue 19

Sunrise in Biddeford, Maine 12/21/2022

Congratulations! If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you've arrived at the Winter Solstice. By the time you read this, if you read it today, the sun will be long gone (or on its way) and we'll be entering the longest night of the year. 

Recognition of the solstice around the world is as vast and varied as there are cultures and backgrounds and histories. And last I counted there are approximately 3,921,205,392,050,183,742 posts, memes, quotes, articles, books, research, podcasts, thoughts, etc. that examine all of it. 

So, I will keep this short and offer you a simple reminder: take care of yourself. Be gentle. Be kind. 

The natural rhythm of the winter season is to slow down. Rest. Prepare for the growth and warmth of the high energy filled seasons to come. 

Yet our modern technology fueled, information and stimulus obsessed culture has a different design. The hustle rages on. The next cycle of expectations demand that you pay attention to them. You are drawn into a cycle of always moving forward at lightning fast pace.    

This can create feelings of imbalance, unease, and discomfort. Sometimes it's hard to put your finger on the pulse of what is actually contributing. In those moments, I encourage you to slow down. Pause. Observe. 

Invite your awareness to work through the layers of your experience - environmental, physical, mental, emotional, energetic. With kindness and compassion for what you observe, choose to how to move forward from there.  

For me usually what I lean into is getting outside. The mountains and beaches are still exceptional in the winter. I lean into home cooking. I love sharing in a hot beverage with friends at one of our local prestigious coffee shops. I lean into listening to music and home-office dance parties. I lean into writing and getting ideas and thoughts onto paper or into letters or postcards. 

However you move through this next season, go forward with kindness, empathy, and gentleness. 

You're worth it.  

cb

PS: For as long as I can remember I've loved the Tiny Desk Concert series from NPR.  Music that I loved reimagined. A massive collection of artists and genres and styles that are outside my normal circle of listening.  For example this performance from Allison Russell. I must have listened / watched this about 1,000 times. So much so I immediately ordered her record. She really fills up my heart with warmth and joy. Exactly the type of thing that will carry me through the winter.