Gleaming stars above, seemingly mirrored by the moonlight sparkling on the snow that absorbs all sound. Silence. Many of our relatives are sleeping, the leafy ones, some furry ones in their dens and burrows. A winter night, bright and dark at the same time.
Isn’t it funny that – in those parts of the world where there is actually a time with a continuous snow layer – „White Season“ and „Dark Season“ could be used to describe the same time? In the North Woods in Wisconsin, the indigenous people call the darkest times „Little Mystery Moon“ and „Great Mystery Moon“, the time of dreams and spirits. Sleep is long and deep, dreams become more intense and it is the time to listen to them closely. While they tell us our hidden stories, other stories are told around the fire, calling mystery and the spirits to the hearth. And it feels like the snowy forest is suddenly full of spirits – all those roaming the woods with us become visible, writing the stories of their lives with their tracks they leave for us to find and follow. We can be with Hare when she eats, sleeps, rests, or when fear lets her race between the trees with astonishing leaps. We can be with Wolf and her family, everyone with a task in the pack, and we can dive deeper into what life in the snow means for them. Maybe we recognize ourselves in much of what they do, and feel a little closer to our furry relatives. Maybe we even learn about ourselves in following their stories. We always have a new story to bring back to our people and we continue weaving the web of our lives.
In many modern lives, busyness and hustle dominate, the calm is hard to find or make space for, we think we need to keep going to fulfil our tasks and wonder what’s wrong with us if we are more tired in winter. We’re so used to the expectation to function the same, every day, every season. But taking away electric light and other technology, it is hard to see why we do that to ourselves. Our bodies tell us what to do if we listen.
I, too, thought I needed to run to catch up with whatever I thought it was that I was chasing. Acceptance maybe, or respect for my achievements. Doing more, being better at something, not taking time to rest and let the learnings and experiences really sink in.
Sooner or later, if we ignore the voice within, we are forced to slow down. Burn-out, stress-related illnesses, exhaustion will catch up with us and we will have to learn to be patient and gentle with ourselves. Take time, be slow, ask for help. “Be a burden”, let others take care of us and our business. When I didn’t listen and crashed, the circle way came to me when I needed it. I was reminded that I am loved and okay just the way I am, without achievements, just by being in this world. And this is what winter can teach us. To just be. With ourselves, with loved ones. Give something to each other that is more than the work we do, the goals we achieve. Sharing, listening, being cozy and nurturing our dreaming souls. Give all the experiences of the busier seasons time to sink in.