Cherishing Winter
We asked the City of Fountains staff to share the ways they cherish the slow time of Winter; and what they do to reconnect with Self, “renewing their soil” for new growth.
“During Winter, my family likes to make different soups and stews to eat. There is something magical about warm meals in the middle of winter! We also start cleaning through our clutter and giving away items not needed. It’s a time of reflection and renewal, and discussions of what’s to come. This year, we will have our first high school graduate, so enjoying the slow pace of winter and family time right now is a must!”
“The winter is the time I really dive into books and study – especially on the cold evenings, while sipping on hot tea. During the day, I still try to get outside – and I cherish how peaceful and quiet it is with less people in the parks and thinner air. To reconnect with myself, I like to slow all the way down and enjoy breathing and being, while gently contemplating various ideals and qualities I strive for, and things I’m looking forward to. This sets my intentions and gives room for that “new growth” to happen!”
“It may sound silly, but I seem to always be making hot tea in the winter, relishing the time to sit down with a hot mug in the evening. I also still make time for outdoor walks. There are less people out on the trails, so bundling up for a quiet walk is very nourishing.”
“In Winter I’m all about the Nordic concepts of Hygge (coziness) Lagome (balance, not too much and not too little ) and Sisu (fortitude, strength in the face of difficulty.) Getting outside in the bitter cold followed by going inside to the warmth. Lagome would say you can’t fully enjoy one without the other. Seizing the daylight followed by a cozy night in. A winter nature hike followed by a sauna and dip at my YMCA is my Winter medicine.”
“I love bundling up, wearing several layers, taking long leisurely walks with our dog, and anticipating the renewal that comes with the awakening of nature around us.”
“I deeply appreciate the stark extremes of winter and “inner” warmth. The cold air biting at my face, flush with blood flow on a brisk neighborhood walk. The expanse and small solitude found in the stillness of wilder areas. The sharpness of thinking as I sculpt the right articulations of the emotional experiences I am trying to understand and grow from; and the dreaminess of my family’s warm company that helps the words finally surface when I put my thoughts to rest. The slowness of winter is a refuge to digest all that has happened, and is happening, for me to move forward with growth.”
“During the slow time of winter, I spend much of my time doing slow things – crocheting, baking, long hot showers, listening to audio books. I write this on a snowy Friday, while I sit on my sofa watching the billowing white flakes fall and working on a hat for my child and waiting for my bread to rise.”
“Reading, puzzle-ing, knitting, and collage-ing by the fire, bundling up for a crisp walk, dinner by candlelight.”