Guest Blog by Annie Robbins: Living In Balance This Winter

Living in Balance this Winter  

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.-Albert Camus                    

In Chinese philosophy there are five elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each element is assigned different characteristics, including a season, emotions, and organs. The water element corresponds to winter; its emotions are fear and wisdom, and its organ systems involve the kidney and bladder. Water draws us deep into the quietness of the season and gives us the opportunity to slow down and understand ourselves more completely. Like all of nature, we are called to do internal work during this season. It is time to focus on meditation, containment, and the storing of our energy and reserves for the year ahead. Living in the Northwest, one becomes acutely aware of the dark days as we reach the winter solstice. In order to healthfully get through this season, we must become less active and spend more time in rest. Winter is the most yin of all seasons. In nature many trees look skeletal and the earth can appear barren, but deep within the roots of trees and plants, energy is collected and held in reserve. It is this deep reserve of winter that gives a seed the energy to burst forth in the spring. We live in a yang society that is continuously busy and striving and the disconnect between the yang of our lives and the yin of this season can make us exhausted and more likely to become ill. By simply being a bit more still and quiet this winter, you will develop deeper reserves and wisdom to help you bloom this spring.

Get more rest

Sleep an extra hour a night. Pay attention to the natural dip in energy during our daily cycle from 3 to 5 pm (bladder time in Chinese Medicine), and honor it with rest or a walk.

(In the winter) people should retire early at night and rise late in the morning and wait for the rising of the sun. -Nei Ching

Drink more water

Staying hydrated keeps your energy up and immune system strong. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day to stay hydrated.  (A 110-lb. woman should drink 55 oz. a day.)

Exercise

Movement stimulates endorphins and enhances energy levels. Take a regular yoga class, go on daily brisk walks or join a local gym. Remember the metaphor of the water season: a moving pond never stagnates.

Restore your spirit

Reflect, dream, meditate, and envision growth and changes you want to make in the year ahead.

Celebrate the holidays and dark evenings of the season with those you love

The darkness of winter can sometimes cause us to hibernate, but evenings filled with candlelight and community help us joyfully survive the season. This is the time to go deep with those you love the most.

Eat Seasonal and Warm Foods

Eat more dense warming foods such as whole grains, squashes, root vegetables, and cooked foods.  Ginger, garlic, barley, buckwheat, black beans, black lentils, beets, burdock, deep-sea fish, and sea vegetables are some foods that enhance the bladder, kidneys, and water element. Healing With Whole Foods [http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Whole-Foods-Traditions-Nutrition/dp/1556432208] by Paul Pitchford is a great resource for learning how to eat to support your body through the seasons.