Prepare yourself for meditation in the usual way ...get your meditation journal and a pen . Sit in your special place and totally relax your body as you count down into your meditative grounding and centering.
In your mind visualize a tree in your yard or neighborhood. In the previous months you have seen this the leaves on the tree turn color, then fade and fall off. As the weather has turned cooler the energy of the tree has slowed down. Energy and water still comes from the roots, nourishing the tree until the ground freezes. Eventually the tree is asleep as the air and environment freezes. It’s still alive, but conserving and storing energy for the long dark months.
One day, in winter you notice the tree is covered in white crystalline frost. You step outside and the whole world is white. It could be midnight but the sky is white, the ground is white and surprisingly light. All trees and bushes are covered in the frost and you notice all is totally silent. This is the magic of winter. No birds, no traffic, no insects, no children, total silence.
Winter has the shortest days and the longest nights, although some of those nights are bright in the reflected snow. It is a time for reflection, for conservation of energy.
Remember the feeling of that total silence in the frosty air. Your breath should be quiet and silent. Quiet your thoughts and bring your energy and attention inward. Reflect on the balance in your life during this season of conservation. Ask yourself if you are expending too much energy in one area in your life?
Are you giving enough time for slow, contemplative pursuits?
We all have family activities that cannot be forfeited during the winter months, but they can be approached with a different attitude. What should this attitude be for you in keeping with the balance that you need in your life?
Ask yourself , “What is one area that I need to change to honor the winter season, and to be more in harmony with the cycle of nature?”
We build our immune system during the winter with adequate sleep, nourishing foods prepared and eaten with thanksgiving, , moving our joints and muscles daily with a yoga practice and other exercise, enjoying the sun as much as possible when it appears, spending time with family and friends in a loving and social atmosphere, reflection, meditation & keeping our surroundings clean and uncluttered. Are there changes you need to make to strengthen your immune system this winter?
Enjoy the silence for a few more minutes. Then write your thoughts in your journal. After you do this, besure to come and post about your experience.
