Tuning in with Nature's Cycles: Winter Solstice

Nature is wise and she always thrive for coherence, there's no doubt about that. I love the analogy that I once heard from Dr. Deepak Chopra: "Thinking this world we live in is a random creation, it's as crazy as thinking a hurricane could create a Boing 747 from a field of garbage". There definitely is a creative energy that tends to generate order and coherence and it is up there, down here, around us and inside of us. Nature is not only part of this creative energy, it is indeed this creative energy, same as we all are part of it and at the same time, we are it. Today we celebrate Winter Solstice in the upper hemisphere while our friends in the south one celebrate the Summer one. On these latitudes on the planet, these last few weeks we have been experiencing the longest nights and the shortest days of the year. That pattern changes as from today, when we start to see more hours of light and less hours of darkness up in the sky. Autumn has culminated in winter and winter will give birth to spring, who transforms into summer later on, for it to give place to autumn once again. And like that we move from season to season dancing in a never ending cycle of days and nights. The synchronicity of nature is so perfect, so harmonised, so attuned, that is simply beautiful to see and to experience.

Take a time-lapse of a tree through an entire year releasing leaves, blooming, giving fruits and restarting the cycle again. A fetus from the moment of creation to its birth outside of the womb of their mama. A flower from the moment you plant the seeds to the moment is blooming in all colours and shapes. When we realise we are not simply mere observers of the perfect flow of it all, but we are indeed the flow itself, we can be as harmonised, attuned and synchronised as nature itself is. What is Winter Solstice inviting us to do so we can feel more attuned with life and enjoy better physical, mental and emotional health during the coming months?

Connecting with the energy of winter and stay in its flow is a good answer to this question. Here are some of the things we could take on in the coming weeks to stay in the winter flow: - It is a good time of the year to store energy deep inside of us. Animals hibernate, we can somehow in our own way do the same. Less doing and more being is a great approach to this first recommendation, you can think of your own ways to apply this, but in general more sleep and rest is a good starting point. - Meditation: Any time of the year is the good time to meditate, but the winter energy brings us a great moment to facilitate going inwards, to withdraw the senses to the inside and rest in the beauty and warmth of your own company in your own heart. - Not the time for making big plans or achieving big goals, just the perfect time to give yourself permission to really rest and digest. - Create warmth in your life through the foods you eat, the activities you take on and the friends and family you spend time with. Choose wisely and thinking "is this going to bring me more warmth and wellbeing or is this going to bring me a hangover or a headache"? - A nice Turmeric Latte; spicing up your herbal teas, miso-veggies soups and creams with a good bit of ginger; warm pure cacao and savoury flavours like beans, roots or seaweeds are a great addition to your day in these cold weather.

Happy Winter Solstice! Blessings, Aho!