Winter – Stillness is the New Black
‘Approaching winter
the old oak no longer
hides its scars’
Polona Oblak
City living with its endless noise and lights, crowds and traffic, social media, family and work commitments, makes us over stimulated and wired – keeping our fight and flight responses constantly switched on leads to burn out.
In the colder weather our bodies contract inward and any deep issues will come to make it self known. We may feel more emotional and some of the most common complaints today is too much stress and a lack of ‘vital’ energy, hormonal imbalances due to ongoing stress, lower back pain, anxiety and an inability to stop and relax. Winter is your chance to address and improve these areas.
In winter we focus on the water element that belongs to the kidneys and bladder. These organs are linked to the structural integrity of our body and its shape, our sense of identity, our hormonal and nervous systems, our bones, our sexual energy and reproductive functions.
When our water element is harmonious our fears don’t rule our lives and we feel confident in our ability to move forward in life effortlessly. Discover a calm sense of inner security, endless willpower and compelling drive.
Daily practice for winter balance:
- Bring meditation, self reflection and stillness into your daily routine
- Keep your feet and lower back (kidney area) warm.
- Go to bed by 10pm
- As soon as your eyes open in the morning– get up and out of bed
- Walk barefoot on dewy grass in the mornings – Qi from the earth is drawn in from the soles of the feet
- Put your legs up and rest at 5pm (kidney time on the Chinese clock)
- Nourish your body and mind with love and rest
Foods to nourish the kidneys:
- Bone broth and soups are deeply nourishing, miso, sea salt, tamari, raw sauerkraut.
- Black beans, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, fennel, fenugreek, blueberries, blackberries, black sesame seeds and tahini, mulberries, seaweeds, fish, walnuts, chestnuts, cinnamon, ginger cloves, chai spiced tea and black peppercorns
- Dark green leafy vegetables, endive, watercress, shiitake, parsley, cabbage, leeks, celery, kale, onions.
Winter gifts us the opportunity to delve deep within, to face our fears, to keep what is useful and make peace with what isn’t. Sorting out our internal world during this time will naturally allow us to burst forth and be reborn with the yang energy of spring!
It is important to seek support if you feel stuck or need clarity to move through the big stuff. Zen Shiatsu, Japanese Yoga, acupuncture and herbs, and counselling are useful tools to help you along the journey to more self love, self acceptance and healing. x