The Somatic Intelligence of Winter
With the sun setting at 5:30pm and tree branches looking sparse without their leaves, it’s clear that the outer nature is taking a rest. Many animals enter hibernation and plants go dormant for the Winter as a means of sustainably re-entering the season of Spring when the time is ripe for expansion.
But what do we as humans do? We celebrate multiple holidays, feast on foods that don’t nourish our cells, and commune well after dusk with friends and family, while setting goals for even more expansive glory in the year to come.
Here’s an invitation instead (or an addition) to the new year’s festivities:
Dive deep into the somatic intelligence of your body and listen to its wisdom.
The body doesn’t speak in the clear language that the mind uses. It speaks through the subtle, yet powerful sensations, emotions, and energetics that underlie our every action. Its subtlety calls us forward to listen deeper and gain access to more of the presence that our bodies permanently reside in, while not seeking stimulus to distract or numb from what’s real.
Oftentimes, our bodies are asking us through subtle (and eventually not-so-subtle) means to slow down. To sync our inner nature with the rhythms of the outer nature.
Here are some body-based contemplative practices to add to your new year’s intention setting:
Meditate on a sensation in your body. Identify a sensation in your body and bring your full focus to that experience while resisting the urge to assign intellectual meaning. Use rich adjectives to describe the sensation (texture, size, color, depth, etc). Observe how the sensation changes in response to your awareness.
Breathe deeply through your nose with an elongated exhale. Nasal breathing and lengthening the breath out help to calm our Nervous System so we’re better able to access the safe and secure state at the core of our being.
Sleep in. I know this can be challenging depending on your circumstances, but if you’re able to lengthen your sleep or add naps, your body will have more time for repair. While we’re not as outwardly productive during sleep, our bodies are very busy on the inside! Don’t underestimate restorative practices.
Slow movement and yin yoga. Adding mindful walks outside will allow your body to sync with the Sun’s circadian cycle. Yin yoga and slower movement practices to complement your workouts will let your body re-establish its natural Winter pace.
Chiropractic care. Seeing a Nervous System-based, vitalistic chiropractor will enable your system to access ease and deep healing while integrating past stressors and enhancing the body’s adaptability to future stressors. Not in Austin? I can help you find your chiropractor wherever you are!
Let’s keep in touch:
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