Surrender to the Seasons

Winter is often the busiest time of the year, filled with holiday gatherings, shopping, cooking and feasting. There’s a huge energetic and emotional buildup at the end of the year. Then January 1 arrives and we’re expected to instantly reset, make resolutions and start anew. Frankly, it’s unnatural and unrealistic.

I turn to nature when faced with conundrums such as this. When I get quiet and still in the great outdoors, Mother Earth shares her wisdom. All sorts of revelations arise. Naturalist John Burroughs said it best: “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
 
One exceptionally chaotic Christmas, I took a walk in the woods to clear my head. The leaves had fallen to the ground revealing the clear blue sky and mountain vistas. Each breath of crisp, cool air brought an enlivening sensation to my throat and lungs. With each step, I felt more present and calm. After crunching through the leaves for a good while, I found a nice place to stop. The silence was almost deafening. I felt as though I could hear the Earth more clearly in the winter forest. I wondered to myself, “Is she dreaming, talking in her sleep? What is she saying?”
 
I sat for a while and listened, observing what was unfolding around and within me. I felt the sharp juxtaposition between the natural world and the tamed world. The forest was exceptionally peaceful while humanity was at full throttle. “How did we [humans] get so off track?” I wondered. It was then and there that I resolved to try a different approach, to let nature be my guide.
 
Nature’s seasons illustrate to me that there is a time to do and a time to do nothing. Winter’s shorter days and longer nights beckon us to retreat to our dens and rest. I decided to give myself permission to go slow, to heal from the holiday hustle, from the trials and tribulations of the past year. I surrendered to the season.
 
For eons, humans lived in harmony with the seasons and rhythms of nature. Now, each January, we begin a new calendar year. This is due in large part to the advent of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, adopted by Great Britain and its colonies in 1752. Our mainstream culture now uses this 12-month calendar for capitalistic gains, touting new year’s resolutions and shouting “new beginnings, fresh start!” All in an effort to sell gym memberships and create a sense of scarcity and lack. Modern society urges us to consume more, increase our screen time and spend less time outside, leading to an overall sense of disconnection.
 
However, when I step away from the rat race long enough to slow down and grow silent, I’m able to reconnect to my inner knowing. That’s when I hear my heart’s wisdom, reminding me that every day, every moment is an opportunity to begin again. If you observe that you’ve broken your resolutions by the end of January, be kind to yourself. Let Mother Nature be your guide. She will assure you that the heart of winter is NOT the time to DO.
 
Winter is calling us inward. To rest. To be still. To be present. To dream! This is the time to alchemize all that was and plant the seeds of what will be. To learn from the past, sink deeply into the fertile soil that is the present, and gently release those seeds into the darkness.
 
Perhaps we won’t see the fruits of our labor right away. All good things take time, and not all seeds will grow. The ideas and dreams that do germinate might not be ready to come to the surface just yet. Maybe they need to be nurtured in the womb of the Earth before they are birthed into fruition, strong enough to stand on their own against Nature’s elements.
 
If your heart, body or intuition is calling you to grow still and reflect during this season, honor that inner knowing. What are you shedding, releasing, composting, alchemizing from last year? Bundle up and go outside, sit quietly in contemplation of this question, then write about it.
 
Winter is a time to reflect, dream and visualize. What seeds will you plant, germinate, nourish, cultivate this spring? More importantly, how will those acts make you feel? Are you open to the journey evolving and changing as long as you arrive at the same felt sense? Use these questions as journal prompts. Writing often helps us uncover the wisdom we hold within.
 
If you desire guidance or accountability in setting aside the time to go inward and be fully present, I invite you to experience a forest bathing retreat in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. I’ll lead you on a gentle journey through the woods, weaving mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing (Shinrin Yoku) and nature therapy together. The experience provides opportunities to be in community with kindred spirits in the judgement-free space that the forest holds for all of us. Deepen your connection with nature and the wisdom of your heart. Quiet your mind so you can tap into the innate inner knowing that is always available to you.
 
I leave you with a poem that materialized during a recent winter forest bathing experience.
 
Winter Wander
“Slow down,” said the Earth.
I realized my pace had quickened
keeping time with my chattering mind.
I obliged
and relaxed into the mountains’ embrace
breathing deeply
body softening
senses sharpening
heart opening.
As I tiptoed slowly through
the sleeping winter forest
I heard my heart whispering the way.
Ever so faint
I stopped and grew silent.
Listening.
That’s when I received
the truth I’d been seeking.

Warmly,
Kelly

About the Author
Kelly Bruce is a Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide/Certification Consultant and the founder of Natural Wanders. She leads forest bathing, nature therapy experiences, and mindful hikes in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Her community forest bathing retreats are featured at the North Carolina Arboretum, presented through Adult & Continuing Education Programs in collaboration with Asheville Wellness Tours. You can also join her monthly experiences hosted by Conserving Carolina. Each month in this blog, she’ll provide inspiration to help you wander into wellness, naturally. In the meantime, follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

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