It was cold this week. Not just the coolness of fall and dampness at night and in the morning, but cold. A few mornings this week it felt like there could have been frost. In the traditional seasonal calendar of China, broken into 24 periods, we just entered Frost Falls. The hint of winter is in the air.
How do we nourish ourselves during this time?
Well, what does our natural appetite and body wisdom suggest?
Have you been wanting to sleep more? Have you been wanting to put on an extra layer? Have you not been feeling quite as active? I would suggest that the wisdom of the seasons is reflected in the wisdom of the body, and our body has a lot to tell us right now.
For instance, which would be more nourishing right now: watermelon or baked squash?
Iced mint tea or hot chai?
Cinammon or Lavender?
In the transition from Fall to Winter, we can reflect in our bodies the changes that are happening in the external landscape. As the energy in the plants and trees sinks into our roots, we can sink our own energy by eating more root vegetables. As the animals eat more food and store up extra calories, so too can we eat more rich and deeply nutritious food such as butter, nuts, animal products, and oils. As the outside rests more at night in response to the external cycle of light, so too can we sleep more and wake up slower (Some of us might not have as much choice in this one as we'd like!).
Rather than going for a five-mile run, we might find it more nourishing to go for a walk. Rather than doing ashtanga yoga for 90 minutes, a shorter session of movement followed by a long periods of time in restorative yoga might be more nourishing. Instead of doing the Tai Chi form 2 or 3 times, doing it once very slowly with pauses might be what our bodies need.
Experiment with standing and sitting meditation practices-this time of year is a good time to enter into these kinds of practices.
In Japan, from this time of year all the way until March or April, many people wear a piece of wool, silk or cotton cloth wrapped around the lower back and abdomen from the pelvis to just above the navel. This hard-maki or hara warmer keeps the center of vital energy (qi or prana) near and below the navel supported and strong through the cold months.
Traditional Exercise to Nourish the Kidneys, the Water Element, and Protect the Body in Winter:
Sit or stand in a comfortable position where your hands can reach your lower back. Place the palms of your hands on your low back facing your skin. Gently massage up and down 81 times until your kidneys and lower back feel warm and nourished. This practice promotes longevity, nourishes the kidneys, and protects the body from cold in the winter.
