Cycles and Rhythms ~ Honor How You Choose Happy
It’s that time of year again! Many of us are feeling the January ‘blahs’. And many of us are doing our best to fight them by getting super busy and go, go, going…
In the words of Dr Phil ‘How’s it working for you?’
Not so good? I thought as much.
So, let’s have a look at why we get the need to slow-down. (Oh yes, it is a need!) And then, let’s see what we can do to make this work for us.
Or as I like to say ‘It’s time to slow-down to Choose Happy!’
I love the Goddess cards and this phase of the year is represented by Maeve. Maeve is a kick-bum Celtic goddess who took no truck with those who pushed her when she wasn’t in the mood. She often represents women’s moon cycles, but I’m looking to the bigger picture today. Maeve represents all our cycles and rhythms.
For those of us in the Western world, January is when nature is dormant. Or, at least she appears dormant.
I lived for many years in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada. Here winter brings a blanket of snow to cover the earth. The temperatures drop to dangerously cold levels and it requires planning just to get to work and do your daily routines and chores. Now, I live in the Pacific Northwest, where the cold is often accompanied by rain and gray, dark days.
All these lead us to want to hunker down and rest. For me, it’s sip tea and look out of the window. My knitting beckons. I tend to drift to bed early and rise slowly. I’m in tune with nature. Are you taking time to allow this for you?
Our culture pushes us to continue as if nothing has changed. We feel guilty if we aren’t going…busy with new projects, getting the sales, achieving constantly. STOP! Slow down and listen to your natural rhythms.
But what good is that?
By taking time to rest, repair and be still we actually allow our creative juices to get going. While Mother Nature may look as if she is sleeping, under the surface there is tons of activity. The roots of the trees and plants are gathering nourishment from deep in the earth.
Think of it this way. If I didn’t put my bulbs into the dark, they wouldn’t grow in the Spring. My amaryllis gets tucked into
We can only blossom fully when we take time out to restore our energies.
the cupboard for 3 months of the year, so that it can gain energy to blossom into full beauty. This is what we need too.
So, allow yourself to honor the cycles of your body, energy levels and emotions.
Rest when you are tired.
Take time to play. Take time to sip tea, look out the window and contemplate your life.
And know absolutely that you are not wasting time. You are nurturing those deep roots within. You are cultivating your creative beauty.
And just as surely know that you are going to blossom in the Spring.
Aaah, what a lovely post Jacqueline! I adore the fact that you tuck a flower away in the cupboard for energizing! Beautiful analogy! I pictured my roots sort of growing in the soil and expanding and really getting a sturdy hold on the Earth in order to more ecstatically blossom in the Spring! Thank you for this much-needed reminder! YAY! 🙂
Love the visualization…just reading it I can feel it happening. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful advice Jacqueline! I love the slowdown of the winter. Putting my Pj’s on early, snuggling in with Tea and kitties. Going to bed early and sleeping later. Funny enough…I always seem to be way more creative and feel more inspired during this time.
Awesome. And isn’t it funny how that works. I don’t have kitties right now and am missing that…hmmm, maybe it’s all part of the process. 😉
Thank you! I need to be reminded that these early nights and this restful state is leading somewhere. And I can totally see spring acting like that! Faster than you realize? That is just like her! Let’s rest here in winter and be happy!
Yes, it is leading somewhere and there is a purpose! Woohoo! Enjoy the lull before the energy picks up again.
We’ve been doing quite a bit of resting here at my house this winter. The fire is too nice not to just sit and enjoy and there are good books to be read. But I do feel the pull to get up and move faster.
Does the pull come from the head or the heart Christie? When both are in sync it’s time to get going. Enjoy your family time. xox
Loved the article, so peaceful and calm. That was an unexpected message for me, I remember saying that first three days of the new year were so packed with activities that it felt as if three weeks have already passed. Never thought of January as of a slowing down month, it was always new beginnings for me. At the moment I’m feeling on fire, I do get to bed early but somehow I get up too early as well. It’s probably that it was quite mild winter in London, snow was only for few days.
The energetic waves have been rocking many of us this January Inga. Remember to tune into your energy levels and flow with them. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Here in Seattle we are having a really cold snap…which means more sun than we usually see in January. It’s getting me out on some lovely walks.
Connecting with wise women by reading their blogs is one of my ways of relaxing and choosing happy! I build in a lot of restorative things each day but nature does seem to get a back seat. Thanks for the nudge – I’m going to go walk my dog now! 🙂
Oh and I too LOVE Maeve (or Medb). I went to Ireland in November and walked the hill of Tara – here’s a bit about how she had many lovers and required them to be fearless, gentle and without jealousy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medb
Awesome, thanks Karen. Enjoy getting out with the pup!
I love the idea of honoring our cycles and emotions. I’ve been doing that this year (and was forced to because I got struck with the flu this week). Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean we have to rush around and try to accomplish everything all at once. It’s winter, a time to nest and retreat. Like you said, spring is around the corner, and then we can blossom and bloom.
Getting laid low with the flu certainly gives us time for introspection. I hope you are feeling better now and getting ready to blossom. xox
I love this so much because I preach it all winter long.. I love Nature.. best and wisest teacher ever. It’s so easy to think that “nothing’s happening” in the winter.. and yet so much is happening beneath the surface that allows everything to burst forth in the spring.. we too get to have a season to reserve and replenish our energies as we are meant to.. when we fight it.. we suffer. Just like the sun doesn’t shine for 24 hours.. we aren’t meant to either.. we rest at night.. I’m with you.. sipping tea.. a bit dormant.. by the fire.. gathering some creative energies and letting them cook!
Love to you…
Lisa
I love the way we are so often in sync Lisa. Love to you too.