Midwinter Warmth
“I love the dark hours of my being, for they deepen my senses” – Rainer Maria Rilke
The winter months in the temperate world can be a challenging time for many. With increased darkness, colder temperatures, and perhaps lower energy and mood, these months often seem imbued with a sense of grief. I’d invite you to consider your own experience of winter.
Do you anxiously anticipate the change in seasons from autumn to winter and how it may impact on your system? Do you relish how nature slows down and goes into hibernation in hopeful anticipation of springtime?
Perhaps it’s a mix of both of these sentiments. I’ve come to view winter as a time of contemplation where I’m invited to turn inward. This prospect can feel very daunting, especially if there are parts of our systems that are used to keeping us busy. Once those parts soften, though, more space opens up for parts that may not have had as much time on the stage. These parts often carry a lot of pain and can be used to residing in the darkness.
As you slow down in this moment, do you have a felt sense of any of these parts within your system?
There is no need to proactively or reactively try to fix them. In fact, the most profound thing we can offer is the warmth of compassionate witnessing. Think of it as sharing tea with a friend by the fireplace. Maybe these parts are not used to experiencing your presence. You can take as much time as they need to warm up to you; they may feel very stuck and frozen. Remember that we move at the speed of trust, and this warming up may take a whole season, or longer. It is a practice that becomes embodied within us as we go. Perhaps it is one you already have cultivated for your system. If not, I wonder what it would look like to start acknowledging some of these parts that often come to the fore during the winter months.
How might getting into relationship with them shift things within your system? This is an invitation to grow in love with the dark hours of your being.