The Winter Desire to Hibernate is Calling!

VIBRANT HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK~ The Winter Desire to Hibernate is Calling!

   This always happens. December rolls in, we have had a few snows thus far and a few sub freezing days and every cell in my body wants to hibernate by a warm fire. Its always contrasted by the equally amped up tempo of the outside world with the ready, set, go adrenaline rush to shop, cook , decorate and party. What to do?
  I choose to keep it as simple and quiet as I can for these weeks leading up to the winter solstice and the New Year. It's really a sacred portal time to enter into deeper sensitivities on so many levels. Nature has created the stage for us to slow down. Cold, ice, wind and snow to name just a few of the elemental messages.
My thinking mind wants more rest, my body wants more rejuvenation (interesting time for our nutritional habits for sure ) and my spirit wants a place to land and be fully present.

• So this is my strategy.
• For every activity I have in my day I am asking my spirit what really needs my attention today. What are the essentials and what can I let go of.
•  I am making slow cooked meals, chilis or soups etc so that process is soothing and easy and in the right tempo with this internal desire to be warm and nourished.
• I am going to bed a bit earlier so getting up in the pre-dawn dark for my daily yoga practice is doable.
•   Listen to sacred music! One really powerful gift of the season is the amazing music! Fill your space with these beautiful hymns, chants, and songs.  For me thats usually chants and this time of year anything celtic will stir my soul.
•  Honor daily sadhana and meditation practice. There is nothing more powerful for your spiritual evolution than being still! 
• I literally stay out of any big box stores. Its too much for my nervous system. I choose smaller and local shoppes that offer hand made items or unique gifts that I feel are worthy of buying and giving. 

So hibernate? Not quite. We are social animals and we do have this gift of living in a human body within this practical world so its always a task of navigating a beautiful balance between what energy I send and share in the world and what I cultivate within myself. Take the time for stillness, there is no better advice than that! It will nourish you on every level.
Namaste and Blessings for a Balanced Days & Solstice Season! Anne Christine