Winter begins with the boisterousness, excitement, and stress of the holiday season. We visit, we celebrate, and we eat; and then things quiet down and time loses its meaning, We float in this void for a minute before Real Life comes calling again, and then we awkwardly stumble into post-holiday rhythms, so-called Normal Time.
All this while it’s still dark and cold and the sun is down before 5 o’clock. The holidays are over and the bulk of winter still looms before us. Oof.
Dark and cold are properties of yin, and so are things which are hidden or unconscious. Winter is the yin of yin and associated with the element of water, the element of reflection and introspection. Contrasted with summer’s fiery energy of socialization and movement, winter is a time of solitude and stillness.
One thing I like to do when receiving massage (“receiving” is associated with yin) is go away in my mind and let it take me where it will. It’s a similar feeling to freewriting in a journal, an exercise that lets me record a stream of consciousness where I am often surprised by what comes out of the pen. Whatever tension or pain the giver encounters and works, I listen to what it has to say: sometimes it tells me of ways I have been using my body, other times of old injuries I thought I’d forgotten. What I uncover in this way gives me a spark of energy, that act of yin becoming yang, that tension between the two that is qi.
I am focusing on journaling more in this new year; not as a resolution, but an invitation to check in with myself. I find a lot of value in externalizing the internal; sometimes I am able to figure out precisely what I am feeling as I am putting my thoughts down on the page. Checking in allows me to be present with myself, and to track progress I’ve made on weekly goals and longer projects. I also like to ask myself (or my tarot cards) questions, and for the new year they might look something like this:
- What do I want to invite more of in 2026? What are some ways I can do this?
- What are some ways I recharge and rest (especially new ways or ways I haven’t tried recently)?
- What warms me (physically and emotionally) during this coldest part of the year?
We can honour the passing of the year without putting too much pressure on the new one. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself, and manage your energy while the days are cold and the nights are long. Winter is a season of sleep and reflection, and if it weren’t for the demands of capitalism, we’d be huddled together in warm caves telling each other stories instead of trudging through the snow and navigating the ice. (Another good question: how is the water around you like and unlike the water within? Water is the element most associated with emotion and the unconscious.)
If you need a moment on my heated massage table or shiatsu mat in cozy clothes to help ground yourself, I will be back at work as of Tuesday, January 13th; the calendar is already open for booking. I am currently indulging in some solitude of my own in the company of two darling animals I’m watching for a friend.
Reminder: I am maintaining my 2025 rates into the new year, and my Pricing page has been updated. Packages are available through invoice, send me a message at info @ luromassage.com for details.
Give yourself extra care as you transition back from the holiday season. Stay warm and tread carefully into the new year!
I posted 26 times last year, and I am aiming for biweekly blog posts this year. I would also like to write more Fat Tuesday posts as my lived experience as a fat practitioner continues! Lastly, I have a project to end my relationship with mailchimp and send emails via old-school mailing list (bcc for privacy, of course); I am trying to get away from platforms where the service is free because I (or we) are the product.
