Nesting to Nurture: Creating Sacred Space
Winter, spiritually speaking, is the season of our inner nature. It is the season of introspection and sometimes, downright hibernation. Many of us mid-westerners feel this as our ‘blue’ season. Yes, yes, I know society tells us this because we don’t get enough sun in winter here. While this is very true and most mid-westerners are vitamin D defecient to varying degrees, this isn’t the only reason for the winter blues.
Think of it this way, we begin the winter season at the height of the holiday hub ub, extra activity overload with school-aged childrens activities, family gatherings and celebrations, work parties, travel, extra shopping, etc., all the while the weather for most, (I do kow there are some out there who love winter weather), adds a whole other layer of foreboding. It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s snowy, the roads become messy and sometimes difficult to get from point a to point b. And the list goes on and on, am I right?
In spite of all that, we still get on a party high, for lack of better phrasing, from being around so many people so often and in a celebratory energy. None-the-less, once the holidays are over, our energy drops becaue; we aren’t in the high celebratory vibes, we are exhausted from all the extra activity and not being in a routine, it’s colder outside and we even more than before don’t want to go out in the elements.
If that isn’t enough, now that activities are slow and people aren’t feeling very social, we naturally come face to face with all those pieces we so easily get to avoid when we are extra busy. You know, those pieces-the emotions, your crap that surfaces and you stuff them down because they don’t feel so great? Ya, those.
As I said at the beginning of the article, spiritually speaking, winter is the time to dive into ourselves and ‘do our work’ by processing all the stuff we ingored previously because we had so many other to-do’s and distractions. This isn’t all doom and gloom, some bits are more uncomfortable than others, but it isn’t terrible. I will say this though, the more you stuff it down, the more exaggerated it gets until you do face it and move through it.
And hello, the title of this ariticle is Nesting to Nurture, so there are oodles of things you can do in order to feel comfy cozy while you are nestled into your winter season that will help you beat those blues that sometimes accompany it. Simple creature comforts are great ways to build your nest and nurture yourself such as:
a hot beverage - a toasty fire in the fireplace
- warm fuzzy slippers
- a soft cozy blanket or sweater
- a journal or a good book
We are in the final weeks of winter and as we begin to re-emerge from our inward spiral, that restless energy and yearning for something different begins to happen. This is not always a comfortable space to be in. In fact, we need that discomfort to catalyze change, to ready us for the shift. What naturally happens during this time is often referred to as nesting.
Nesting isn’t just for expectant mothers and spring cleaning. Nesting is a very nurturing act that we can engage in to cleanse & clear our space and the energy in it. The result is nurturing, comforting, welcoming & energizing as well as an excellent way to process and expend the restless or anxious energy we are feeling from being couped up and ‘doing our work’. Afterall, your home is your sanctuary, why not help it feel that way?
Expectant mothers ‘nest’ to make everything ready for new life to enter the world. So why not ‘nest’ and make everything ready for the new you emerging in 2020? Ask yourself:
- Does your home, or your space, reflect and support the you you are becoming or doesit keep you rooted in the past energies that hinder your forward momentum?
- Do you have everything you need for the you you are becoming?
- Is there a stack of papers or dresser full of stuff that reminds you or keeps you in those uncomfortable spaces? A closet? A Shelf?
- Is there a room you keep the door closed to because you just don’t want to even look at it?
- How about that room that hasn’t changed in ___years and is screaming to be freshened up?
Maybe it’s time to purge and clear that energy now, replace it with a newness that is refreshing and nurturing rather than overwhelming and ‘blue’.
In this way your ‘nest’, your sacred space, your home can nurture you as you make your ascent from your inward spiral. You won’t come out of it the same, so why not have a refreshed and re-vamped space to reflect it?
Not feeling it? It may be that the task feels overwhelming and you are lost as to where to begin. Have you ever watched a bird make a nest? They make it one twig at a time, so just start with one thing, whether it is 10 minutes or 30 minutes and go from there, one thing, one minute, one day at a time. Phone a friend, yes, that is a reall thing! Sometimes company is just the right healthy distraction to get you moving or put some music on.
Interested in more including my Blue Moon Milk recipe? This article was written for The Collective Connection’s Winter Edition, Winter Comforts. Published here as we could all use some nurturing and benefit from nesting as we continue sheltering in place. Stay healthy, Stay safe & Stay connected.
How are YOU nesting to nurture? I’d love to know in your comments below. 💞
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