Generally speaking,
We recognise the importance of warmth for our physical immune system.
We drink hot drinks,
Nourish ourselves with warm broths and protect our bodies with warm clothing.
But it is also important to tend to our inner warmth for our mental and our emotional immune system and our whole well-being.
Summer warmth is lively and expansive,
Lifting us up and getting us going.
Winter warmth is cosier and simpler,
Bringing us in close for rest and replenishment.
Keeping our inner warmth going through the darker months is like the bulbs being held in the earth so that they may grow again in the spring.
In my work,
I often hear people's fear of stopping.
I might not get up again,
They say.
But we are part of nature and so are interconnected with the seasons.
Spring will lift us into new growth too,
When it is time.
In order to be ready for that,
We need to shed leaves and prioritise rest as much as we can,
In whatever form that takes.
If we do this,
We will be well placed to unfurl with the spring.
Showing kindness,
Compassion and love towards ourselves is a core part of keeping our inner warmth going.
We spend so much time holding the mental load in life,
In busyness,
Caring for others and so on.
It is crucial that we tend that inner ember throughout the winter,
So that we may sustain,
Flourish,
Enjoy all that we are and all that we do.
Tending our heart warmth also means that we are more able to bring warmth to our relationships,
To bring kindness,
Compassion and love towards others too.
Something that is deeply needed in this world and in this time when we are often expected to continue as if we are on summer energy and when there is often more gathering with family and friends,
Which though may be lovely,
Often comes with its challenges.
As a Japanese proverb says,
One kind word can warm three winter months.
So I invite you to take some time for kindness for yourself,
Knowing you are part of this web of life and I offer this guided visualisation to support you in that.
Take a moment to settle yourself into a position,
Seated or lying down,
That feels in balance and where you are at ease.
Allow yourself to land here.
Give yourself permission to be present in this space that you've gifted yourself.
Notice how you're doing,
Notice any parts of you that might be struggling to settle and just let them be.
Notice the feel of yourself,
The feel of the space around you and the feel of anything you might be holding right now and then bring your attention to your breath,
Just noticing how it is.
Then,
Breathing in with intention and as you breathe out,
Bring yourself into your heart space.
If it helps,
Place both hands across your heart,
Holding that space with love,
Bringing yourself into a place of self-nourishment,
Care,
Love,
Compassion and wisdom.
Notice what that space feels like.
It might be a cave,
It might be a space in the earth amongst the roots of a tree,
It might be something completely different.
Whatever it is,
This is your space,
Where you are always welcome,
It's yours and yours alone.
Notice how you feel here,
As you are entering your heart space in winter,
This dark and cold phase of the year,
When we're pulled to hibernation,
Pulled to slow down.
We need warmth,
We need warmth in our hearts.
I invite you to imagine in this space,
There are some embers glowing.
These are part of your life force.
They are your inner warmth.
Take a moment to watch them,
To feel them,
To be with them.
Then,
You notice that when you breathe out,
They glow harder.
You increase the warmth and keep them going.
You're able to use your breath to nourish that warmth within you.
Perhaps allow yourself to play with that.
Breathing in consciously and as you breathe out,
Allow that breath to go into your heart space and fan those embers.
And then allow that glow to spread throughout you.
Allow it to build with each breath through your whole self,
Your body,
Your mind,
Your soul.
With this practice,
You're nurturing a kindness to yourself.
You're nurturing love towards yourself.
And expanding and tending to the space within you,
Will allow you to sustain through life,
Whatever comes up,
However it unfolds.
If we keep this space in us open,
Life is so much easier to find our way through.
I invite you to take a moment to set an intention for you.
An intention that will help you keep these embers going.
Through these darker days,
Before the earth warms and the spring comes.
Inviting us to emerge and unfurl.
Set an intention for you that will show warmth towards yourself.
And remember,
This heart space is yours.
You can come here whenever you want or need to.
The more you practice,
The easier it will be to find your way here.
And now you may want to continue to spend some time here,
In your heart space,
Hibernating for a while.
I shall leave you here.
May you take care of yourself through your wintering.
Taking time to think about what you need throughout the season,
To keep your inner warmth going.
May you recognize how much you deserve love and warmth towards yourself.
May you have the rest you need to sustain.
And may the new cycle of seasons bring the possibilities in life that you dream of,
That you are working so hard for,
And that are right for you at this point in your journey.
