Winter ~ Time for Rest & Renewal

By Tabitha | January 8, 2018

Winter is a time for rest, recuperation and renewal.

In this, the first week of January we are still in Winter, a time when there is little light or warmth from the sun.

Winter is a time of rest and hibernation, of waiting for the light to return. Just like seeds that wait silently in the ground, full of potential, we can just 'be'. During the dark months, plants submerge their energy into their roots.

We can learn much from the seed and the natural environment. We too are a natural part of the earth and are affected by the seasons. We would do well to go with the flow of these natural cycles.

It is not a time for doing too much. We need to slow down and pace ourselves, to preserve our energy - our energy levels are not as dynamic as during warmer months.

When the time is right, the light and vitality begin to return. The seed knows when you use it's strength to grow, when it will be supported by the life-force of the season of Spring.

In the traditional Chinese Medicine theory of the Five Elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal) which Kinesiology is based on, Winter is associated with the element of Water, holding within it Kidney and Bladder. Kidney and Bladder, when out of balance are associated with fear, anxiety and worry or on a positive note, with awe.

Is there too much mystery, fear and risk or do you need to overcome your fears and allow some uncertainty to fulfil your dreams?*

Winter Rest & Renewal Tips

It is said that we store our life-force energy in our kidneys, therefore it is essential that we protect our kidneys (and our vital energy) during the colder months. Here are some tips:

Keep the kidney area warm and snug by wearing warm clothing without any gaps around your middle. Keeping the ankles warm is important as the kidney meridian (energy pathway) passes here from underneath the feet. I wear leg warmers when going on a long winter walk.

Warm nourishing foods, with warming herbs and spices (such as ginger or cinnamon) give us good energy and keep our internal environment warm and dry (rather then cold and damp – a place where colds and viruses like to take hold).

Eat less sugar to support a healthy immune system. Have you noticed how many people get colds and viruses around the festive season? Sugar lowers our immune systems, making us more prone to becoming ill.

Care and repair. This is a time for rest and renewal. Look after yourself. Say ‘no’ if you feel overstretched and are doing too much. Make time in your diary for rest / quite times before it gets full of life’s busyness.

If you are feeling a bit down in the dumps, don’t isolate yourself. Make sure to be in company of other as well as by yourself. Talk to someone – we need each other.

Regular Integrated Healing sessions can be helpful in maintaining good energy levels, emotional balance and an overall feeling of well-being.

You may also like: Caught in the Stress Cycle? The Importance of Looking After Yourself, Helpful Tips for Sensitive People, Springtime ~ Now is the time to go for it!

*Metaphor taken from the book Touch for Health by John Thie DC and Matthew Thie M.Ed

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