A Slow Unfolding
“Deep, deep, deep into the heart of the winter
Deep, deep, deep into the womb of the mother
Deep, deep, deep where there is no other
song but the song of my soul”
–Solstice Chant, by Anne Bearheart
Pinterest, artist unknown
Happy New Year and winter’s blessings.
Although I love the energy of new beginnings, the turning of the calendar page to a new year comes with a lot of noise from the over-culture.
Over the quiet landscape of a wintering earth, rings the siren call of capitalism to detox, diet, make big plans, produce more, do more, buy more, be more. Find a whole new you in the new year.
Mercy! It’s a lot.
*deep breath*
Meanwhile the heartbeats of woodchuck and bear have slowed to the rhythm of hibernation.
Meanwhile the trees stand naked against the sky, their energy sent wisely down to their roots.
Meanwhile the acorn waits, patient in rest, curled softly into the dark lap of mama earth.
Winter is the womb time of creation.
The rhythms of earth are slow and unfurling. And so too are the rhythms of our own body and soul, for we are what nature is.
The light that was sparked anew at winter solstice will grow slowly for the next six months not reaching its zenith until mid-June.
It’s good to go slow.
Although goal setting can be a beautiful and supportive practice this time of year, Sonya Rene Taylor reminds us that “An acorn does not have to say, ‘I intend to become an oak tree.’”
And so it is with you, dear heart.
You, too, inherently carry the blueprint for your own unique magnificence.
Winter asks us to trust our innate wisdom and the gracious unfolding of our lives. To know that like the acorn, we too are held within the womb of love until the fullness of time calls us forth.
Contrary to the hype, we do not have to turn ourselves into another self-improvement project in order to experience growth, change, and healing. These are innate principles of our aliveness. This is what love naturally coaxes forth.
Just like the earth herself, when the conditions are right, our bodies and souls innately move us towards the flourishing of life.
Like the acorn, we carry the shape we are meant to take.
art by Sue Wookey
And like the acorn, our growth is not a linear path filled with checkpoints, but a surprising and dynamic unfurling of self in relationship to the life both within and around us.
Winter’s deep rest is an essential ingredient to that dance. Out of the dark containment and deep nourishment of the womb, new life is birthed.
Aboriginal scholar Tyson Yunkaporta, in an interview on the For the Wild podcast, invites a shift from seeking particular outcomes and solutions (the linear model of the over-culture that seeks to control) to focusing instead on creating conditions for thriving (an earth-loving approach that asks us to be surprised by life).
What if instead of planning out each branch, we tended well to our soil, seeking to nourish our roots and create the conditions for our own thriving?
Rather than setting another goal or focusing on a particular outcome, what if allowed ourselves be delighted and surprised by the shape our lives want to take?
What if we courted our own mystery?
What if we let our souls lead the way?
Invitations to Tend the Earth of You:
Rest well, dear heart. Letting the earth of your body rest is the central task of this season. This means getting enough sleep as well as choosing restful practices in waking hours such as curling up with a good book, going on a slow walk, or savoring a hot beverage near the window. How might you deepen into rest?
Listen to the song of your soul. Silence the din of voices that tell you what you should do, and make space to listen to the images, dreams, desires and visions that stir from within. Winter is dream time. How might you create enough darkness to let the sparks of your desire fly?
Nourish your body well. The earth of your body is the soil from which your life grows. How might you tend well to your body’s needs in this winter season?
An acorn holds the mighty oak inside her tiny shell, but that does not mean she will simply grow into that oak.
It is the health of the soil that allows the seed to find her shape.
And so it is with us.
Know that you can trust the unfolding of your life. You don’t have to hustle (but you certainly can if you want to!).
May you tend well to the earth of you and nourish the dream seeds you carry inside.
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Tending to the wisdom of body and soul is what 1:1 Soul Tending is all about. Click to learn more.
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Hello, dear one. I’m Stephanie.
As a Soul Companion, educator, and sacred space holder, I am passionate about deepening our connection to the earth, our bodies, and the divine mystery that dances in all that is.
Let’s journey together into the sacred wild!
