Honoring Fire, Honoring Water
The Winter Solstice is fast approaching, a day that is celebrated by so many as the returning of the light from within the dark depths of midwinter. I love Winter celebrations-all the candles, the sacred fires, the twinkling lights. But at the same time, a small part of me struggles with how much emphasis is placed on the light, the light, the light!
Yes, winter can be very hard for people. The bitter cold that clings to the bones, the short days, the lack of sunlight. The darkness. I understand winter blues. I understand how historically it was so important for many of our ancestors to celebrate the day that marks the return of the sun, and thus another year in which crops can be planted and life can flourish. In modern times it still is meaningful for many of us to celebrate this rebirth of light, and the return of the sun.
And yet...
Even as we celebrate this return of light, can we still honor the darkness? In the philosophical framework of Chinese Medicine, the interconnectedness of yin and yang is what all life is dependent upon. If we have nothing but light, heat, expansion, and activity (all Yang qualities) life will quickly burn out.
Conversely, if we have nothing but darkness, cold, contraction and stillness (all Yin qualities) life will simply not grow. We need both yin and yang, darkness and light, water and fire. And we need these two essential qualities to be in an ever-changing and interconnected balance with each other. This balance is essential both within ourselves and within the greater web of nature.
So how do we honor both these qualities of yin and yang, and how do we keep them in healthy balance? We can look to the seasons and the Five Element wisdom tradition of Chinese Medicine as a guidepost for this balance. Winter is the time of utmost yin, and it is the season of the Water element (while summer is the time of utmost yang, and season of the Fire element). Just as water is a precious external resource that we strive to conserve, so too do we need to conserve our internal Water element, especially in winter.
How do we do this? By practicing deep, revitalizing rest. Winter is the time to tend to our vitality- that spark of Yang fire energy within us- by conserving it, and thus not letting it burn out. We do this by allowing ourselves to have a sacred pause. A long winter's nap. A curling up in the cave, like the bear. Would a bear be as powerful animal as it is if it did not hibernate?
While we are not bears, we can practice hibernation to a certain extent, to replenish our power. When we rest, we revitalize ourselves. By dropping down into the depths, by allowing our nervous systems shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, we tend the sacred spark of fire within us. Simply put, in winter we build our power by resting.
So as we celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the gradual increase of yang energy from now until summer solstice, it is essential that we nourish our internal yin water element, in order for our power to be fortified.
The best ways to do this in winter? There are many. Going to bed an hour earlier. Paring down the to-do list, or spreading it out over a greater period of time (for example, see if all the things you'd planned to get done in one week could be done over the course of two weeks instead). Consider putting ambitious projects or big changes on the shelf until early spring, when the more yang Wood element energy of growth and change is strong.
And perhaps most importantly for many of us-- reduce the stress. Being in a chronic flight-or-fight state (with cortisol production on overload) is thoroughly depleting to the body, mind, and spirit. While we don't always have control over the external stressors in our lives, we do have a good amount of control over how we respond to stress.
In my clinical practice I often will recommend some form of meditation, including Qigong, to my clients. I prescribe adaptogenic herbs and/or traditional Chinese herb formulas to help create a healthier stress response. And of course I recommend acupuncture! My acupuncture-massage combo treatments are especially helpful for shifting out of fight or flight mode.
As we celebrate the returning of the fire (the sun) this winter solstice, may we honor the water element within each of us-- that deep, still place of power. May we spend the remainder of this winter honoring out body's need for the yin qualities of stillness, quietude, and surrender.
May we prioritize our need for rest over making the holiday season picture perfect. If we are struggling and in a dark place this season, may we feel the light returning. May we enjoy the fireside warmth of love and connection, as we nourish our waters within.
