Maintaining your Balance over the Holidays

Water is the element that rules the winter season, the most yin element at the most yin time of the year. Water is represented by the color black, or very deep blue and by wavy irregular shapes. Its movement is either still and deep, or flowing, and at this time of the year, balancing these two energies is the trick to maintaining your own balance as we enter the holiday season.

Many of us find ourselves naturally nesting as deep winter approaches. We tend to sleep more, go inward, move slower. That is, if we allow ourselves to pay attention to the natural energy of the season. Paradoxically, we also find ourselves out and about, going to parties and the myriad of events that take place as the holidays approach. While all this social activity can help to ‘make the spirit bright’, it is going somewhat against the yin energy of the season, causing stress for many.

If you find that the holidays stress you out, there are some simple ways to help you retain your balance:

1. Go with the flow of winter’s natural energy. Take time to reflect, to go inward, to rest. All of the natural world takes a breather during winter, gathering energy for the coming push of spring. Follow nature.
2. Participate at a level that you are comfortable with. For some people, all that socializing is too much, for some it is welcomed. Don’t feel like you are being a party pooper if you don’t say yes to every invitation. Honor your own energy level.
3. Get outside. We need fresh air and sunlight, both of which are hard to come by at this time of the year. If you can’t go hiking, or don’t have a dog to walk, do your holiday shopping outdoors. Most cities and towns have neighborhoods with street access stores. Shop there rather than the mall, the merchandise is usually more interesting anyway!
4. Keep warm. Keeping your chest and your kidneys warm is good for your energetic health so wrap up with that scarf and wear longer sweaters or turn on the car’s heated seat. (I have a love/hate relationship with my heated seat. I’m sure the electric system is emitting EMR that isn’t good for me, but man I like having a warm bum!)
5. If you are an inward, reflective type, do some gentle exercise that keeps the energy moving but maybe isn’t so vigorous. Qi Gong or yoga is great for this. I predominantly express the Metal Element archetype and enjoy warm or hot yoga so much more in the winter than the summer.
6. If you are an outward, active type, get out for a brisk walk or a run to burn off some of the energy that gets pent up indoors.
7. Water represents the void, the womb of creativity from which all things arise. It is the darkness, the feminine and mysterious, it is cold. But from within it’s depths comes the promise of new life, an idea, a spark of creativity. Inspiration is the tiny spot of yang within the deepest yin. Winter is a time to dream up the ideas that we can implement in the spring when we have more energy. Take some time to daydream.

Each of us is an expression of the natural energetic world because we are connected to it. The yin nature of this time of the year has a strong influence on us and we can travel more smoothly through the season when we honor that. Additionally, we all express each of the 5 Elements within our bodies and our personalities. When our elements are in balance all is good, but stress can tip us out of balance in a myriad of ways. I recently did a radio show with my friend Tracy Makarenko where we discussed some further ways to stay balanced according to your elemental type. You can access the recording here, if you’d like to get an idea of which element you express.

Namaste