The Concept of Wintering

Wintering, have you ever thought of winter as a concept? Like when we weather something. I invite you to think of winter as wintering. In this part of the world, everything in nature transitions, it slows down, somethings completely pause or stop.

Our systems are not designed to go-go-go all year long. They are designed to take rest, slow down, pause and go inward. That’s what wintering is all about.  It’s about slowing down and acknowledging life’s ebb and flow.

The concept gained a lot of popularity through Katherine May’s book: “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult times.” In it, she explores the idea that life’s difficulties are natural cycles, much like winter in nature. Rather than resisting these moments or seasons, embracing them can lead to growth, renewal and resilience.

I invite you to ponder over your mindset regarding how you approach the ebb and flow of life’s challenges. Do you resist them? Do you find yourself going inward and becoming curious about what you’re experiencing? Is there another approach you might be taking?

Wintering is a metaphor to describe a period of rest, retreat, or introspection.  It can refer to times in life when you step back to reflect, heal or conserve energy, often after a challenging experience or during periods of expansion/growth or transitions.

In my own experience, after a challenge and oddly enough before I am about to expand or grow into something bigger, another layer of healing arrives and I too go into a wintering season for a bit. Just like natures rhythm, spring eventually arrives as does summer and fall.

We hope you all winter well.

Love you, mean it.

Rhea & The entire Sacred Moon Team.