Winter: the call of introspection

One of the many gifts of Maine is the season of winter — illustrated beautifully by the landscape and wildlife, there is a movement inward. Accompanied by the shorter days, extended darkness, and cold air of winter oftentimes is the anticipation of melancholic moods and the longing for brighter, warmer days. Instead of resisting that which is inevitable, we can take our cue from mother nature and mirror that which is being expressed naturally. Consider winter as an invitation to turn inward and engage in a practice of reflection and introspection. 

With constant activity, work, social interaction, and technological stimulation, we can become estranged from the self and disconnected from who we are, what we want, and where we’re going. Like flowers in a garden, the self necessitates care and attention. Although the concept of carving out time for ourselves seems simple, the ramifications of the absence of this intimate time can be profound. 

Introspection is an invitation to build a new, perhaps more intimate relationship with ourselves. Through enriching this relationship, we can experience a development or enhancement of self-trust, self-acceptance, and self-love — forces that are powerful antidotes for commonly felt symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly during the winter months.

It can be daunting to begin a new or different relationship with ourselves and difficult to know where to begin, especially when being inundated with self-help content via social media. There is no “right way”  to begin this new relationship and the truth is, you are your best guide to yourself. 

Let winter serve as a reminder for us to take part in this personal medicine making practice, utilizing self-connection as a salve to the soul.