The philosophy of winter is one of stillness on the outside and movement on the inside: when you move with the energy of winter, you are less focused outward and turn inward, so that you can reflect on your experiences of the past year. From that reflection comes insight and wisdom, characteristics that according to Eastern medicine are attributed to the element Water and thus to winter. Reflection puts your experiences in a different light, a symbolic inner light, and is a breeding ground for personal growth.
The stillness and withdrawal of the winter energy teach us to let go, and not know, to get out of our head and connect with our body on a deeper level so that it can gain energy. In the pagan spiritual tradition in Europe, for centuries an exercise that supports this is practised. I will explain this exercise below. Read this one in its entirety before doing it.
Turn off your phone. Lie on a bed in a quiet room, in the dark. If you're afraid of the dark, leave the light on. If you like, place a special pillow on your eyes. Cover yourself so you stay warm. Place a stone above the blanket on your lower abdomen, right between your navel and pubic bone. The stone provides acupressure on CV3, CV4 and CV5. This helps you turn inward and recharge. So in this, there is a nice link between spiritual practice from the west and the east. Close your eyes and surrender to the silence. Give yourself the space to let go of all your plans, and to let go of everything you have accomplished, and also all your mistakes. Give yourself space and be open to what is happening. Perhaps an intensely deep silent meditation follows. You may get plans or images. When you find that your thoughts are taking over, shift your attention to the stone on your lower abdomen and return to the stillness. Be present in this silence for as long as you want.
When you have spent long enough in this meditation, bring your attention to your body and take a few deep breaths in and out. Move your fingers and toes. Stretch yourself and slowly get moving again. You may want to write or draw something based on this experience. If you take the time to look back, you can gain insights from this too.
