Hello all, and welcome to my first blog post written on January 27th, 2022.
I am grateful you are here.
I have spent the past few weeks "wintering" and doing some deep inner healing.
If you are not familiar with the concept of "wintering" it involves slowing down and creating space for stillness and quiet. It is about restoration and nourishment.
It involves internal reflection, death, & rebirth.
It is from a space of inner awareness that one can start to let go of old stories that keep one stuck (death) so that one can access the heart and souls' deepest desires to
create new intentions from a space of love (rebirth).
If I am being honest, I STRUGGLED with this.
At first I was like "BRING ON THE WINTERING!"
But then I had resistance to relaxation and restoration. It felt forced and not relaxing at all. My ego wanted to blast email after email and offering after offering to be seen, heard, and loved.
And it felt like it was from a space of lack/scarcity and needing to feel worthy, this need to scream from the rooftops that “these are my offerings!"
Even during my experience with Covid I still wanted to be active and create.
And while Covid did create space for slowing down, it wasn’t the same because now I had to be still out of illness, not desire. It was fascinating to witness. And exhausting. One of my outdated belief systems/programs running is that I need to always be doing, always be creating, always out there waving at everyone yelling
“IT’S ME, COLLEEN! I HAVE VALUE, CAN YOU SEE ME?"
I admittedly crave external validation to feel accepted, valued, and loved. So I paused, took a breath, and re-framed.
I know I AM equipped with the knowledge and tools to let go of this old out-dated mindset. I know I have the ability to shift this vibration.
I spent almost all of 2021 learning how to do this.
My re-frame:
I AM ENOUGH, exactly how I am. I KNOW all I truly need to do is accept, value, and love myself. I am all that I need, just like YOU are all that YOU need.
So I write this blog, my first blog, not from a space of needing to be seen and heard but instead from a space of LOVE AND GRATITUDE. I am co-creating it from space of joy and acceptance. Wintering has taught me the patience of cultivating stillness.
Wintering has taught me patience. It has allowed me to stay in right relations with my soul. It has let me honor both the process of restoration and the process of creation while showing me the value of not planting my future seeds of intention, too early, in the frozen ground.
I am working on seeing the bigger picture and trying not to start projects (like writing a blog hehe) until they have fully gestated in my heart.
Writing a blog has been a long time coming for me, especially with my desire to spend less time on social media. So it feels good, really good, to share this in my space of wintering.
I am about to send out an email with my upcoming offerings in the next 24 hours and re-reading the content of the email I acknowledged that the email itself does not reflect wintering.
But then I smiled and relaxed as I heard the words vibrated to me via Great Spirit…
”Progress, not Perfection”
I accept all parts of myself both quiet and energetic. I shall continue to work on creating that sacred balance for the remainder of winter.
My beloved Spring Equinox, I see you on the horizons and I look forward to your return...
Til’ then, I winter in gratitude.
Interested in wintering yourself?
Carve out some time and create some space for quiet and stillness.
I prefer (and highly recommend) the morning as I find it sets the tone for my day.
Below are some mindfulness tools to help you embrace your wintering experience.
Breathwork (I love Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Meditation (Insight Timer has beautiful guided meditations. I also can create one for you)
Journaling
Epsom Salt Bath (add your favorite essential oils and crystals and simply soak)
Restorative Yoga or Gentle Yoga
Time connecting with Nature
Puzzles & other joyful activities like reading a book that bring peace and calmness to your soul
If you would like to learn more or step into any of my healing practices and offerings please do not hesitate to reach out at colleen@thesoulnourish.com.
Many blessings to you and your journey,
Colleen ✨
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