Staying Healthy with the Seasons!

Staying healthy with the changing seasons is an important part of adapting to the natural world. Our emotions ebb and flow throughout the years depending on the circumstances of our life, which often color how we experience the seasons. Part of our being resists change, preferring perhaps to remain in the warmth of summer, perhaps feeling desolate and cold with the onset of the winter. Another part recoils from the sweltering heat, and feels weighed down by the long humid summer days.

Other times we feel ready, we feel in sync with the changing seasons around us, which are in essence a reflection of our own inner life rhythms. As like the winter sometimes we also feel the need to recoil and cleanse. To start over. In another season, we may feel energized , creative, and willing to share ourselves with the world whether through projects, our job, or through social interactions.

The seasons remind us that everything has a time. That just like periods of growth and activity are energizing and fulfilling, a barren season of emptiness and stillness, is also necessary part for a balanced life.

For it is in the state of silence that we receive inspiration to act. It is in this winter of our lives that seeds for more active times are planted.

The winter blues, as uncomfortable as they can feel sometimes, can also teach us about the parts of ourselves that need extra care and attention . Those dark parts that if we gently move towards and embrace, hold potential for intimacy and connection with our humanity and by extension with those around us.

Dr. Elson M. Haas in his book Staying Healthy with the Seasons describes the seasons using the Chinese concepts of yin/yang, which represent the complementary opposing forces of life. Spring and summer are yang seasons, characterized by long days and activity, while fall and winter are yin, drawing us inward towards introspection and rest. Similarly in our daily lives, we experience the yang when we wake up from the dream state and engage in work and daily activities, and the yin when we return home for rest, support, sleep and relaxation.

What season of life are you in right now?

Listen and identify where you need more space for rest for emptiness. Or perhaps it is the season for focused action, outward exertion, and disciplined pursuit of your goals. Know that your own rhythm does not have to coincide with anyone else's. Know that there are many seasons of your life. If you are facing a challenge or disappointment, start with accepting where you are and gently laying a roadmap for where you would like to be. Know that this is a season. Know that life is change, and that you cannot predict what will come next but you can be curious about your own experiences. Know that each season will come with its own lessons, its own challenges, and it's own opportunities for expansion and growth.

This post is inspired by the book by Dr. Elson Haas. To read more: Haas, E. (2003). Staying Healthy with the Seasons. 21st Century Edition. Celestial Arts.