Working with Winter Solstice Energy
Hello dear Friend,
Already we are approaching the Winter Solstice!
Truly, the solstice is one of my favorite days of the year. Of course I love to celebrate that the light is getting stronger. What I really love is that Winter Solstice is the gateway for my favorite season of dreaming and inner integration.
At the height of summer, it’s as though we have everything plugged in and turned on: the washing machine, dishwasher, hair dryer, toaster, microwave,TVs, etc all at once. During that season we have oodles of power. Our job is to make sure we don’t overheat.
In the deepest part of winter, just like there is less sunlight, it’s as though we have only a few fuses available in the house. We simply can’t power the same load as in the summer without seriously overloading the circuits and having them shut down. On one level we all know this; for example, very few people heat outdoor pools in a Minnesota winter because of the energy cost.
The same principle applies to our bodies and how we use our energy. If you have only one space heater in your winter home, do you open the window and let the heat out? Probably not. Similarly, Qigong masters teach us that the best way to both protect our yang (fire) energy when it is weakest and set ourselves up to be strong in the new year is to be careful to not over-exert ourselves, and to not let the heat spill out of our bodies.
Slowing down gives us space to embrace our inner life – to attune to the heart, to cultivate spiritual development, and dream for the year to come.
In the spirit of embracing rest, an essential gateway to the gifts of this season:
Watch my latest video: Bedtime Qigong – winter edition!
Watch my 30 minute Winter Solstice inspired practice on Spring Forest Qigong Everyday.
All my love,
Emily