Today is the day of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year.
The darkness, the cold, and the shadow are all emphasized on this day. The Yin component of nature is our internal state and we should feel at one with the darkness, as our own shadow begins to become the focal point of our understanding.
We turn in towards ourselves, begin to meditate, and work towards unlocking the puzzles of our internal landscape.
The nature of yin is much the same.
Yin is embodied through the water, the blood, the moon, and the earth.
The feminine nature of yin is exemplified through the tangible nature of yin. We can touch, feel, experience, and understand yin. When we begin to understand yin we may be drawn to think of “being like water”.
Water is everchanging, evermoving, and the key to life. Water is giving and nurturing, water is life. When we feel stuck in life, we may feel like our own internal “water” is a frozen unmoving iceberg blocking the flow of new water. This cold prevents us from moving in the present, but we know that water always returns to the perfect state for its environment.
We know that this will pass, that our frozen blockage will melt and we will again flow.
Water reminds us that we are in a constant state of motion, change, and flux. What exists in the present now will change in the future, it will unravel into a new situation.
As we experience the most yin point of this year, we can look inside of ourselves to uncover our inner water to understand where we are in life. As we move out of this state of extreme yin, we incorporate more units of yang into our life until the height of yang- the summer solstice.
Yang comes to us in the form of fire, wind, energy, and the sun. At this moment of change, when the sun shines the least- we are called to bring in the yang within ourselves.
We can do this by adding more exercise to our regimen. We can also sit around the fire with our friends and loved ones. We can enhance our connection to the sun by bathing in the sunshine that is around for more time each day.
Now is the time to work with the sun to produce healthy vitamin D levels in our bodies. We are called to encourage our body to produce ATP to bring metabolic function and energy into our cells. We need to bring the heat ourselves until the sun can assist us again.
By paying attention to the changes in the year, we become more aware of the present moment. We become more aware of the foods of the season and how to eat in harmony with the structures of nature.
All of life and nature revolves around the idea of maintaining a balanced state in a time of dynamic fluctuation.
We can achieve balance by working through one of three channels- the body, the mind, or the soul. Whichever avenue is chosen, balance can be attained.
At this moment in the year, turn inwards and choose health. Utilize tools to help you with healing- herbs, healthy foods, exercise, meditation, etc.
Awaken yourself and return to balance