It is the heart of winter, and a beautiful time to let the past fade away and make room for new life. It is a time for letting go of what no longer serves you, and letting go of trying to be perfect. For woman, life is not about mastery—it is about mystery.
Mother Nature displays this feminine alchemy in every season. When winter sets in, many women feel melancholic. Winter is a time of cold, darkness, and of endings. However, every ending gives way to new beginnings and out of darkness, new light is born.
The winter blues
In the wintertime, we are led inward to the warmth and insulation of our dreams and vision, home and hearth. Like composting leaves under the snow, we find emotions, insights and inspiration buried beneath the surface of our busy lives. Winter is a season where we can re-set, relax, and receive.
Winter gives us time and space for self-nurturing, self-pampering, and lots of rest. Treating yourself to extra TLC over the winter months will remind you (and others) of the remarkable woman you are. Here are some suggestions to help renew yourself during the winter months:
Rituals for rest and renewal
- Relax your body and feel sensual, feminine and regal by regularly enjoying a candlelight bath using lavender and vanilla essential oils.
- Soak up the warmth and glow, and drift off with soft music and your thoughts.
- Lavish yourself with love: Buy or make a very beautiful card and write yourself a love note, an affirmation or cherished poem and actually mail it. You deserve a beautiful surprise.
- Every morning, revive yourself first thing with a mug of warm ginger or lemon tea and a dash of cayenne pepper. The ginger and cayenne will warm you up on the inside, clear out any congestion, while rehydrating you.
- Appreciate your body by feeding yourself the freshest and most enzymatic and bio-available foods. Raw, living foods will enhance your hormones, add radiance to your complexion, and a sparkle to your eyes. I have posted a treasure of easy recipes and ideas at www.earthempress.com for you to enjoy.
- Unplug from the outside world: Taking time for you is a sacred art of self-love and preservation. Catch up with yourself by writing in your journal or reading that book you have had on your nightstand for months now. Curl up and get cozy.
- Treat your skin to a massage with pure, organic coconut butter, especially after your bath or shower. It will soak right into your skin without leaving a greasy feel and it smells fresh and subtle.
- Tone your circulation, immune and hormonal system by taking an ice-cold bath or a dip in the freezing lake like I do. Finishing off your shower with a blast of cold water works well also. This time-tested practice will also help you feel warmer all day long.
Winter helps us multi-tasking mavens to remember to slow down, conserve energy, and to dream. Under blankets of snow, everything is at rest and energy is being gathered for the next cycle of rebirth. It is a magical time and I wish you the brightest renewal ever!
