This deep, dark time of year, especially in Portland Oregon, many of my life coaching clients are saying things like: I feel more tired; why can’t I get it all done; I just want to curl up on my couch; I don’t really want to go to that work event…

At the same time, I watch my cats and dog succumb to winter quiet. They are cozy on their beds, sleeping more, not wanting to go outside in the pouring rain. They seem pretty relaxed about it! I think we humans as biological creatures also know instinctively to slow down in winter. This can be a restorative time to catch up on rest, dream creative ideas, read more books, listen more deeply to our intuition, snuggle with loved ones. If we allow ourselves.

“December, most everyone else complains, is unbroken darkness. And they’re grinding their teeth when they say it. The way I see it, though, maybe the saddest thing is, we’ve blinded ourselves to the darkness. Cut ourselves off from the God-given ebb and the flow of darkness and light. It’s poetry, the rise and the fall of incandescence and shadow, measured in lumens per square foot. But, mostly, it’s lost on us — bright lights, big city.” –Barbara Mahany. 

After today, the days will very slowly get longer, with Spring bursting in soon enough. She will be getting busy with new life and calling us outside more to enjoy the sunshine. The seasons do have something to teach us about cycles, don’t they?

But for now, we have the opportunity to reflect deeply. Rest fully. Allow the sacredness of the sleeping trees to teach us to slow down too. I know, I know…it is the holiday season and we have so much to do and so many places to be. But, we work against our own nature to push so hard. Let one or two things go. Yes?