SHADES OF THE BLUES

Hush, it is only the Winter who has come to take the land…

It is the time of year when sunlight exposure is at minimum and temperatures dip into the freezing realm. A damp and heavy atmosphere often blankets the sky as fire in the wood stove is always providing. Energy is redirected toward introspective phases. Withdrawing the frays of last year’s puzzling to assemble a deeper meaning.

To one degree or another, we all are affected by the seasonality of moods. Winter is typically associated with depression due to the lower levels of vitamin D. Have you noticed a pattern of how your mind, emotions and body respond to seasonal changes?

If you are a person who is experiencing the blues of Winter, you are certainly not alone.

The only way out…is in. It is natural to feel the low tones at this time of year especially. It is an opportunity to bring awareness and feelings together for synthesis. There is complexity and quality in the substance of emotion that is imbued with creative catharsis.

An emotion must move. E(energy) + Motion = momentum

It can seize and become frozen, compartmentalize into storage within your body, it can disperse and scatter like static, or turn to toxic sludge. Emotions are energy that you can become conscious of and utilize.

Your moods are guiding your life. I know all you left brain dominant people would argue against this statement, but let’s follow this thought for a moment. Unless you are an automaton, a robot, or have had a medical procedure to remove your limbic system, you have feelings.

These feelings seem to arise of their own accord as we may suddenly be struck with emotion as a response to stimulus from the environment or even our own thoughts. As we learn and mature, the ability to process fluctuations of emotions stabilizes.

If you’re out of tune, then discordance is bound to result. It’s natural for an instrument to go out of tune as the weather changes and the environment of the room is altered. It’s a simple matter of knowing how to put yourself back into healthy harmonics.

Here is where emotions want to come out and play. They have a very specific function and that is to keep your connectivity to spirit in optimal condition. Sometimes they will gently nudge, other times kick and sometimes even scream. If they’ve been ignored, neglected, or left on like a leaky faucet, you’re going to get some disturbances.

Whatever is coming up, must be processed. Emotional behavior seems to follow a pattern that is unique to each person. Often, I have noticed how cycles of lessons come back around in a familiar theme. Each turn is an opportunity to choose differently or remain fixed only to repeat again.

It has become a sort of game I play when moods drive me to the subterranean realm of unconscious reactivity called ‘let the body lead’. This involves a complete surrender to the impulse of bodily movement.

Have you ever noticed that your body will act without forethought?

The idea is that your body knows what you need to correct the connectivity issues between your inner and outer worlds. It could be plunging into an ice bath of fresh winter’s snow melt, dancing on the kitchen table or rearranging the entire contents of your garage. I have no idea, but your body does!

My suggestion is to let the emotions flow, guiding your body into movement so long as your actions bring no harm to yourself or another of course. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s because the impulse to release energy in a natural way was rejected.

Depression settles in when the rejection continues. Stagnation can be very destructive to the energy pathways that follow innate circuit fluidity. Eventually, unprocessed emotion can damage the functionality of bodily systems.

If you don’t know where to begin, then start with basic grounding exercises.

The idea is to bring energy downward into the body through the legs, feet and arms rather than transcend or escape into the ether.

Yoga is an ancient practice that can facilitate this experience. You could also practice grounding by building leg strength with simple squats and lunges, if yoga is not your thing. The key is to pay attention to your breathing and coordinate your movements with the inhale and exhale.

Broaden your flexibility and stretch every day. I really need to follow my own advice! It can be such a challenge to do the simple things that lead to more vitality. I don’t know why I fight it.

So here is what I do. Put the yoga mat on the floor and show up. Maybe the quality of my movements is way off in the beginning, but eventually I find a nice and easy flow.

Aside from grounding, self-expression is essential for proper handling of potent emotional discharge. You may have a go to activity that’s an easy outlet, or it could be time to find one. Be free with your expression, moments of brilliance and genius are likely to happen at the breakthrough moments.

Ultimately, those darker moods have a loving way of showing you how to cross the threshold and give more care to life.

Last week I had a dream colored in blue, and the next day I fell into a heavy sadness. Everything about living felt heavy and my perspective was low grade vision. Nobody can fix these moments for me. I know that, so I let my body lead.

Before you know it, I’ve got music playing, the paints and brushes are all out and that stack of blank canvases that have been on the shelf for over a year are being initiated into my little mood play. The cats became interested, and I was completely amused. The result is a video compilation I made called “Painting with Cats”. It’s silly, and a little odd, but I really don’t care. I had so much fun!

In conclusion I will say that as with most positive health benefits, consistent practice is most beneficial when looking at an entire lifespan. I wholeheartedly encourage you to allow the attunement of your being to take place. It requires more of a falling sensation than will to action.

Enjoy the Winter, it is a perfect time for journaling, retrospection and new beginnings!

Thank you for reading,

Bless