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| Photo courtesy of John Servilio |
Another winter is upon us and less than two weeks into this season we face a new year and the ubiquitous advice of making a "resolution." For the health-conscious it means getting a gym membership or starting a diet. But for me I see winter as bringing the shorter, colder, wetter days. Images of holing up in the warmth of my home come to mind, or playing board games with my partner, or reading a good novel. The last thing I feel compelled to do is make changes to my life when snuggling under a blanket in front of a fire seems most appealing!
You may have noticed that as we approach winter our energy drops somewhat, it's more difficult to get up in the early hours of the morning, and we are less likely to go for a bike ride, a hike, or some other outdoorsy activity. Most likely this is not a sign of chronic fatigue but part of the natural cycle of waxing and waning when yin predominates and yang goes deep. It's natural for us to slow down at this time, yet there are those of us who insist on maintaining our regular hectic pace. We get up before the sun rises, caffeinate to wake up, go to the gym and exercise until we're dripping with sweat, and keep up the same ragged pace at work. And at night we finally go to bed long after the sun has set. But according to the tenets of Chinese philosophy and medicine, everything about our lives leading up to the winter months should be focused on becoming more internal, more at rest, more at peace. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, written more than 2000 years ago, states:
"The philosophy of the winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such practice the result will be injury to the kidney energy."
It recommends that desires and activities be subdued, quieted, and contained, that one should stay warm but keep the pores closed and avoid sweating, that one should retire early and wake with the sunrise which is later in winter. Much of this advice goes against the routines so ingrained in our lives, but it makes an important point about how disconnected we've become from nature and its rhythms.
So it may follow that a new year's resolution is a bad thing, but only in the way it is treated. To have resolve does not mean to change. Resolution is the moment before change and necessary for change to occur. It is our determination, our will, our drive that make change possible. Resolution is the mother of change. And it, not coincidentally is the quality of the Kidney in Chinese Medicine. When there is damage to the Kidney there is a tendency to be fearful, and fear keeps us from effecting positive change in our lives. This can be fear of failure or fear of success, but especially fear of giving up the status quo and moving on.
The following are some tips on keeping the Kidneys strong and allowing them to build up their store of Essence and Qi over the winter. You'll find you have more energy to get through the day and be ready for all the wonderful changes spring will bring!
Exercise/Activity Moderate your vigorous exercise routine so that you are not sweating so much and/or choose activities that are more restorative. If you feel you're getting tired sooner, treat this as your body's signal to slow down or spend less time on the treadmill. This is also a good time to do restorative yoga, Qi Gong, or Pilates, which strengthens the foundation muscles deep within our bodies. Now is definitely not the time to go jogging in the cold weather in just a shirt and shorts!
Rest/Rejuvenation
Likewise, take longer breaks between vigorous activities or weight-lifting sets. Relax, nap, and meditate whenever you feel like it, and after the sun has gone down is when you want to perform your low-key activities. More simply put, be still. Spend some time each day doing nothing, and doing nothing means not watching TV, not listening to music on your portable, and not reading the news! A sauna or steam bath may sound nice and relaxing, but these tend to open the pores and leave you susceptible to the cold, damp winter weather. If this is something you can't give up, be sure to limit your time and spend three seconds under a cold shower afterwards to close the pores.
Nourishment It's especially important to eat well as food provides our post-natal essence. In terms of energetics, salt is the flavor of the kidney, so it needs to be a regular, but not excessive, part of the diet. Root and seasonal vegetables are also ideal. And because this is the Yin time of year, we look toward the richer foods for nourishment: winter squash, yam, sweet potato, oils/fats, dairy, egg (especially egg yolk), nuts (especially walnut and chestnut), and wheat. Meats that nourish the kidneys are carp, eel, duck, mutton, pork, and beef kidney. But as we don't want to get bogged down in foods that are too heavy and cloying, it's important that we not overindulge and that we balance these with the lighter, more aromatic winter spices such as cinnamon bark, clove, nutmeg, fennel seed, chive seed, and star anise.
Spiritual and Emotional Considerations As discussed earlier, winter is a time of stillness, of conservation, and of being more internal. It is important at this time to avoid wild fluctuations in the emotions and to maintain routine that helps you to avoid a lot of disruption. While it's not always possible to avoid change, an otherwise steady life will make those changes less stressful. I find meditation one of the most useful ways of being still. Focus on where you are in your life at this time, and take it a step further by meditating on the phrase, "This is where Imust be at this time." It is the acknowledgement of our place in the divine order of things. From the kidneys we take our physical, spiritual, and emotional essence that we've inherited from ancestors, and implicit in this is our connection with the universal life force. Understanding this and understanding ourselves more fully enables us to plan our life's changes and comprehend how those changes will affect us.
Last, it's important to note that the weather and our bodies change throughout the year and within each season. Toward the end of winter, we find the days getting longer, the weather warming, and the rainfall lightening. This means preparing ourselves for the changes that spring will bring, and gradually phasing out our winter routine. It's also prudent to realize that each of us has a different constitution, experiences different life stressors, and finds her or his equilibrium in different ways. If you have questions about which foods or lifestyle adjustments might be best for you, please speak with one of the many wonderful professionals here at The Vital Compass.
Peace and joy to you in the new year!
John Servilio is one of the newest additions to The Vital Compass team. He specializes in painful and chronic, difficult-to-treat conditions, ranging from auto accidents to autoimmune disorders.
