Every season is divinely in place for us to honor the cycles and rhythms of our bodies and the innate wisdom that resides within us. With this being said, we are currently moving into a darker, colder season with the winter solstice that graced us on December 21. This is the phase where we transition from autumn to winter; with the elements of nature beginning to slow down during this time, and inviting us to do the same. Even if you are not living in an area where there are drastic changes in climate, there are many ways you can honor the changing of seasons within you.

Since we live in a sunny part of California where the temperatures don’t drop too drastically, it’s important for us to implement practices that guide us into a more introverted, slower embodiment throughout the winter months because we know how important it is to be connected with nature in this way.

Some of our favorite practices & rituals for honoring winter are:

• Connecting with the sun everyday: rising with it out of bed & slowing our days down after sunset with bedtime shortly after dusk (even if it’s through a window if you are living in a colder region!)
• Eating seasonally and locally: during winter months, this typically looks like more root vegetables (beets, carrots, squash, potatoes) & fruits such as pomegranate, pears, oranges, and apples.
• Less raw foods, more cooked foods such as warming soups, curries, oatmeals with stewed fruits, etc.
• Drinking herbal teas that are good for relaxation such as: kava kava, lavender, passionflower, ashwagandha, skullcap, lemon balm, chamomile, rose, tulsi, mint.
• Reading good and thought provoking books
• Decluttering our schedules so we can slow down and have more time to reflect inwards.
• Meditating by candlelight right when we get up and/or before bed to set the tone for a calm day or night.
• Putting on a pot of water with cinnamon, cardamom & clove on a low simmer to keep the house smelling wintery and delicious!
• Dedicating time to crafting: vision boards, sewing, painting, drawing, writing, etc.

These are just a few tips we felt called to share with you all to honor the winter phases outside, and also within us. We hope this inspires you to honor this phase as a time of great reflection before spring and summer approach us again.

With love and gratitude,

The Cymbiotika Team