Welcome to Winter Pause.
In this short audio,
Which is ideal for listening to any time from late November to early January,
I invite you to stop and pause.
It's never too early to prepare for spring,
But it's never too late to actually enjoy your winter,
The season that you're in,
Even if you don't usually.
You don't have to share your thoughts with anyone else.
Just spend some time contemplating or journaling,
Actually writing,
And bring yourself into a mindset of gratitude and positivity for the season that you're in right now and the brighter days to come.
This is an opportunity to offload,
To pause and recess.
Before we begin,
I want to spend a moment in grounding and connecting to our breath.
So whether you're sitting or lying now or whatever you're doing,
Just notice all of the touch points between you and the surface that's supporting you.
Whether that's your sit bones and your mass,
Or your spine being supported by your bed,
Or your feet on the ground.
Consciously connect to those touch points.
Wherever you are,
Whether indoors or outdoors,
Become aware of the sensation of the air on your skin,
The clothing on your body,
Your breath going in and out your nostrils.
And take a moment to realize you are held,
You are supported,
You are safe.
And as you cultivate this feeling of safety through your own awareness,
Notice your breath.
Notice the speed.
Notice the depth.
Notice the sound or lack of sound.
Notice the temperature,
The air.
Notice the difference between inhale and exhale.
Notice where you can feel the breath in the body.
Just notice all the qualities of your breath.
We'll now begin our contemplation.
Or if you choose to journal,
I recommend that you pause the audio.
Take as much time as you need to reflect and then resume for the next prompt.
Let's begin.
How is your winter so far?
At least five words or short sentences more of you would like,
That you would use to describe your winter so far.
Notice whether the majority of the words the language used are positive or negative or neutral.
List at least three things that you're grateful for about winter.
However small,
However seemingly insignificant.
A warm house,
Box sets,
Christmas trees,
Whatever you're grateful for.
Are you prioritizing your own self care needs this season so far?
Rate yourself 0 to 10.
10 being optimal self care which then enabled you to help others.
Did you put your own oxygen mask on first?
Feel free to let your thoughts wander or write about anything that arises on this number,
This rating that you've given yourself.
What do you predict that score will be come spring?
Are there any changes you can make to your routines or your priorities to increase or decrease or maintain that score for spring?
How might you be able to help others this late winter early spring?
Maybe friends,
Family,
Community,
Charity etc.
How do you feel about the chance to help others?
Do you feel grateful that you can help others?
Why?
What one thing is there still time to leave behind in winter?
Anger,
Sadness,
Whatever situation,
Whatever is coming to mind,
Don't overthink.
If you're writing,
Get it all out.
Write until there's nothing left.
You are allowed to feel your feelings and it is okay to feel exactly what you feel.
Feel them and then release.
So while you might accept that you might not be able to change certain things,
Certain aspects,
Certain negative thoughts no longer have to be aboard you can give yourself permission to release them.
And finally,
Thinking about the time that remains of winter,
Write yourself a little or an extensive bucket list.
Things that you would like to do that you can only do this time of year.
Whether that is connected to the weather or your environment or your particular circumstances or maybe this bucket list has nothing to do with the above.
But write down what you will do for yourself by spraying.
When you feel ready,
You want to put the pen down if you had one in your hand and take a moment to bring your hands together into Anjali mudra resting your thumbs against your chest.
And take one huge inhale in through the nose all the way to the top of the lungs.
Fill the lungs,
Exhale through your mouth,
Sigh it out.
And so it is.
Namaste.
