At this winter solstice, it is time for us to stop and notice that the yangqi of the sun is at its furthest point from us. This is the time that the sun appears to stand still and to be reluctant to start to come back towards us. During this time we have a natural tendency to light everything up, and indeed festivals in many traditions, such as the Hindu festival of lights are about enticing the sun to return again.
But sometimes I think this busy lighting goes a bit far, in our manic world. We don’t only light lights, but also rush around shopping, fighting to fit it all into a short break in our hectic work schedules that have not slowed down for the winter. We tend not to take the time to tune into this most yin of times – to take the time and space to rest and meditate. At our home, we try to make December 21st into a yin day, during which we do nothing but connect in to ourselves and our beautiful planet. Then we hope this will give us the energy to connect with friends and family in a good way.
So at this yin time, I’m just reflecting on how meditation has entered my life in the last few years. The British Daoist Association has been very important to me, and retreats led by Shi Jing have informed my practice for the last ten years. What nourishing and challenging retreats we attended – usually a few times a year until lockdown stopped us in 2020. I very much hope that this might manifest again soon.
During lockdown I studied tai ji online with Adam Mizner, which was a great tonic. Tai ji is such a useful life skill as it shows us how we can develop a sense of presence not only on the meditation cushion but also in every day life.
And since everything started opening up this year, I have found a new route into the meditation mindset, which is through developing breathwork and sounding. I feel such gratitude to Chloe Goodchild, and her Naked voice work, which has brought me into contact with some wonderful people, and at the same time into contact with myself on a deep level. Following the sounding thread, I have started learning chants, and from there, Sanskrit! There is of course no time for this in life, but I absolutely love it, and it informs my meditation and therefore my healing work. Meditation is a huge part of my life, and without it, I would not be able to do what I do.
So for this Yule tide blog, there is no mention of herbs, it is holiday time, and rest time, and I wish you all a nourishing holiday break.