Now comes the season of quiet. Nature’s gifts - the short light, the cold air, the raw emptiness - urge us to turn inward and to rest. The world invites us to settle in, to love the world just as it is, to welcome each moment with equanimity and open arms.
And so we turn inward and we grow still. Now is the season of snuggling under downy covers. Now is the season of reclaiming sweaters and thick books. Now is the time for nestling next to the fire. Now is the time for afternoon naps.
Some may call us lazy, unfriendly. But we know that this darker season of hibernation is as necessary as the summer sun. We know that our inner fires need tending, that our bodies need to rest. We understand that just as nature's roots must grow dormant before they can bloom again, so, too, must we sleep.
So let us welcome and protect this quiet season. Let's turn down the volume of our lives. Let’s move slowly, rest deeply, and remember how to simply be. Let’s use this season to rekindle ease, to befriend our inner lives, to allow our hearts to find their way back home.
May we fill winter’s empty spaces with tranquility and peace. May we follow nature's invitation to nestle back into the deepest roots of our lives, so that we may remember who we truly are.
A stunning essay Claudia and one I keep reading over and over. I want to remind myself of these beautiful thoughts, daily. It is the time to "move slowly, rest deeply, and remember how to simply be." I loved the last line too: "May we follow nature's invitation to nestle back into the deepest roots of our lives, so that we may remember who we truly are." I loved every line. Exquisite. I'm going to print this out and keep it near. Thank you dear Claudia!
Thank-you for these gentle words, as I settle into my nest. Grateful for ease.