Are you ready to retreat?

How to find balance through the seasonal change

Are you longing to retreat? We all know how it feels when the day light is shorter than the night time. The change in season is felt by the colder weather. Feeling like pulling your blanket over your head and want to withdraw a bit more from your daily demands in life? That could be a very healthy reaction ... looking at what nature does. The dramatic shift in temperature changes the environment of all living beings.

What is your life style choice? As nature withdraws and pulls its energy and life deeper into the inner layers and down into the roots so may we as human beings nurture ourselves into the same direction. This is about being aware of and connecting to these rhythms and cycles, and working with them instead of against them or in ignorance of them. Natural rhythms guide all that we do – our very existence.

Making the connection to life through natural rhythms.

Are you ready to harmonise your own internal rhythm with the heart beat of the earth?

Our lives are orchestrated by the rising and setting by the sun and the moon. Stay closer to this rhythm of staying awake and resting at night as the season changes.

12 ideas how to develop self nurturing habits

1. Stay warm in the colder weather and dress in multi layers.

2. Choose feeling comfortable over fulfilling an external societal / patriarchal picture or any other expectations.

3. Wash your hands more often as the living environment also produces different bacteria.

4. Your body rhythm = circadian cycle. Listen to your body language and react upon it. Women are more effected by the cycles that effect out mood, energy and sleep. It deeply affects our metabolism

5. Our life has a rhythm of its own and the stages of our life from babyhood, through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, parenthood, and ageing, show us that we have a life cycle of which birth and death are a part. In which stage do you see yourself?

6. Self Inquiry: Which decision is overdue in your moment in life? What needs to fall away? What are you longing for to come alive in your life?

7. Create and activity for seasonal celebrations, festivals and outdoor events to reinforce their occurrence; eg. Equinox / Solstice. Celebrate important transitions in your life. Give yourself the undivided attention and share with your social environment so they become more aware too. Or start a veggie garden, grow some herbs, participate in an activity regularly to learn more about nature. Re-Connect.

8. Start your day mindfully. Be up at or before sunrise and try to take in 10 minutes and bright morning sun. Sleeping in only builds more tiredness and stiffness. Engage in some practice of exercise in the morning hours. It could be physical labor, yoga or some sort of cardiovascular workout.

9. What food is really good for you? Breakfast may be eaten but be careful not to overeat at this meal. If you experience cravings, make lunch a more satisfying and balanced meal. If you crash in the afternoon – be sure to eat lunch in a relaxed and calm fashion. Even a short nap 10-15 Min. lying on your left side after this meal is okay. Avoid eating late heavy meals. Eat light and early.

10. How is your sleeping pattern. Start settling down for the evening as early as possible. The habit of staying up late is difficult to change, but essential for longevity and increased cognitive function as you age.

Over time, after getting to bed early and eating supper early, you will naturally begin to wake up earlier. This will happen without an alarm and, although we may still have to end the habit of sleeping in later, the body will no longer need that extra rest.

11. Consider starting your meditation practice! The quieter the mind is during the day, the more the body naturally tends towards living in sync with these cycles. Meditation in the early evening, even if you do the 1-minute meditation. Great! You got that time. It is when nature’s cycles become still that we have the opportunity to entrain our rhythms with those of nature, still the mind and de-stress. Meditation before sunrise: This is a great time for meditation which will help to entrain the body with the silence of nature. This is the best time to reset your internal clocks. Since they are in every single cell, and we have 100 trillion cells in the body, this may be the most important time of day of all.

We need to connect to life and its natural cycles. It is over 2 billion years old. That is meaningful as you are a part of it.

12. As the year is close to an end turn your attention inward to reflect on what the year has brought you so far. What is it to release yourself from? Where can you let go your grip on yourself? What are you not willing anymore to carry around with you? Seriously. Make an inventory of the positive accomplishments and blessings that are existing in your life. Write it down.

Learn to listen to your body's innate wisdom and live accordingly!