Winter Restoration This meditation is to help you make peace with the cold winter months so you can truly take time to restore health and vitality to your body and your mind.
Before we begin,
I want you to find a quiet space where you know you won't be interrupted.
Allow yourself this alone time.
Get comfortable in a seated position.
Spine straight.
Eyes closed.
Relax the shoulders.
Relax any tension that you're holding in your jaw.
Your neck.
Your back.
And begin by inhaling through the nose.
And then exhaling through the mouth with a sound.
Inhale again through the nose.
And then exhale through the mouth.
Make a sound.
And then one more time.
Inhale through the nose.
And then exhale.
Let it all go.
As you listen to my voice,
I want you to continue to breathe through the nose deeply.
Place your hands on your thighs.
And allow yourself to melt into a state of relaxation.
If your mind begins to wander,
Know that's normal and okay.
But if you notice that your mind has wandered,
Just bring your attention back to my voice and back to the breath.
Many of us struggle with the winter months because it's cold,
Dark,
And damp.
Even pre-COVID,
Winter has always been a time where people spend more time indoors with less vibrant social calendars.
Many of us don't feel as productive in the winter and beat ourselves up for not getting as much done or for having less energy than usual.
What many of us don't realize is that we are meant to be practicing more being than doing in the winter months,
Especially if we live in a place like the Northeast.
Naturally,
Our bodies are meant to go into more of a hibernation-like mode,
Conserving energy and food to survive the winter months.
We are naturally inclined to use this time to rest more,
To heal,
To nourish ourselves.
Let go of the notion that you need to be your happiest,
Most productive self this winter.
That's not to say you shouldn't take part in social or physical activity,
But instead to be gentle with yourself if your body is telling you to slow down.
Instead of stressing yourself out with heavy to-do lists or negative drill-surgeon self-talk,
Remind yourself that winter is a time of being more than doing.
I want you to connect to the breath and inhale through the nose and then exhale through the mouth.
Make a sigh.
Inhale again through the nose and then exhale through the mouth.
And then one more time,
Inhale through the nose and then exhale through the mouth.
Let it all go.
And then return to normal breathing through the nose.
During these months,
I want you to try to indulge in the simple pleasures that feed your soul.
Mindfully drink a hot cup of tea or eat a hearty and delicious bowl of soup.
Or maybe snuggle up under a fluffy blanket with a book or some good music.
Allow yourself to take in the simple pleasures and warm yourself from the cold.
I want you to place one hand on your heart and the other on your stomach and connect to your body.
Now I want you to picture a circular beam of light above the head.
This beam of light has three colors.
The center or the core is red.
And the second layer around the red is orange.
And then the third and final color is the third layer which is yellow.
So red in the core,
Orange as the second layer,
And then yellow as the third.
Now I want you to picture this red,
Orange,
And yellow circular light coming down through the top of your head.
Continuing down through the neck,
Through the chest,
Allowing it to permeate along the shoulders and the sides of your body as it moves down the back,
Through the stomach,
The pelvic area,
The hips,
The legs,
The feet,
And finally the toes.
Picture this light continuously coming down to the top of the head,
Through the body,
Down into the earth.
Don't worry if the colors get jumbled or if you focus on one color more than the rest.
Just continue to visualize and breathe as you keep your hands on your heart and on your stomach.
This light nourishes you.
It clears any unwanted energies while bringing in only vital grounding energy.
Allow it to warm your chilled bones and bring peace and calm to your mind and to your muscles.
Breathe in through the nose and then exhale through the mouth.
Two more times,
Inhale through the nose and then exhale through the mouth.
One more time,
Your deepest inhale and exhale.
I want you to put your hands back on your thighs and when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Breathe in through the mouth.
Exhale through the mouth.
Breathe in through the mouth.
Breathe in through the mouth.
