Go ahead and find a comfortable position,
Seated or laying down.
Give yourself permission to settle into your body.
Allow your breath to soften.
Take a slow,
Deep inhale through your nose and a long,
Gentle exhale through your mouth.
Notice your body beginning to release tension,
Your shoulders dropping,
Your jaw softening,
Your hands unclenching.
Take another deep breath in.
Feeling the air fill your chest and belly,
And exhale.
Allow the weight of the day to fall away.
Winter can bring quiet,
Stillness,
And also,
At times,
A sense of heaviness.
The days are shorter,
Energy may feel lower,
And light more distant.
Try acknowledging this season as it is.
Not something to fight against,
But something to move through with gentleness and resilience.
Just as nature slows and turns inward for winter,
You too can honor your body's need for rest,
Warmth,
And care during this time.
If you're not used to slowing down,
This can feel foreign and uncomfortable in the beginning.
It's important to remember to give yourself grace and compassion.
The temperature of this season can make us feel rigid.
Have you ever noticed when we're cold,
We tend to instinctively pull our shoulders up to our ears?
In general,
Our muscles are temperature sensitive,
Often causing more stiffness when experiencing cold.
Call to mind what it feels like to be cold outside.
Your shoulders raise as you feel the cold deep within you.
Now visualize reaching for a door you know has warmth on the other side.
Step inside,
And take a moment to imagine a soft,
Golden light above you.
Maybe it's a sunlight beaming through a window,
Or a glow of a candle.
Picture this light slowly descending toward you,
Warm,
Steady,
Comforting.
As it reaches the top of your head,
Feel it begin to spread through your body.
With each inhale,
The light grows brighter,
And its warmth pulsates stronger.
With each exhale,
The darkness loses a little bit of its hold.
Let this light move gently through the crown of your head.
Feel the heat drip along the back of your head and neck,
Like a hot stream of water from a shower.
Tilt your head forward and let the golden glow expand down your forehead,
Behind your eyes,
Releasing any tension or fatigue.
Take a deep breath in,
And bring your head back up as you inhale.
Feel the heat travel down through your neck and shoulders,
Softening the muscles that hold so much for you.
Release any burdens you're carrying,
Offering them to the universe to sort out.
Feel the light travel down into your chest,
Fueling the fire of your heart center.
Maybe place a hand on your chest so you can feel the buzzing heat that your body is generating.
Allow it to expand here,
Reminding you of your resilience,
Your capacity for holding light,
Even in darker times.
Let the light trickle down your arms,
Your hands,
Your fingertips,
Down through your torso.
Take a deep breath,
Filling up your belly.
Let the light and the breath roll into your hips,
Your legs,
All the way to the soles of your feet.
You are surrounded inside and out by gentle warmth and calm,
A strong glow of peace and strength.
As you rest in this light,
Remember,
Even on the darkest winter days,
The sun still exists.
Hidden perhaps,
But always present,
Always returning eventually.
You too hold the same light within you.
It may flicker or dim,
But it never goes out.
Take a deep breath,
And silently repeat,
The light within me can always be found,
Even if I can't see or feel it right away.
I am steady.
I am safe.
I am whole.
Now think of one small thing that brings light to your day-to-day life during these winter months.
It could be a warm drink,
Cozy blankets,
A loved one,
The scent of something comforting like cinnamon or pine.
Hold that image in your awareness for a moment.
Let it remind you that light is not always something we wait for.
Sometimes it's something we can create in small ways,
Moment by moment.
Begin to deepen your breath again.
Feel the air moving in and out,
Steady,
Rhythmic,
Alive.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Inviting gentle movement back into your body.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes,
Carrying with you the warm,
Calm,
And quiet strength you felt here.
Remember,
Even in winter stillness,
Life continues to grow beneath the surface.
Your light is still here,
Your warmth is still here,
And spring will come again.
