“If happiness is a skill, then sadness is, too. Perhaps through all those years at school, or perhaps through other terrors, we are taught to ignore sadness, to stuff it down into our satchels and pretend it isn’t there. As adults, we often have to learn to hear the clarity of its call. That is wintering. It is the active acceptance of sadness. It is the practice of allowing ourselves to feel it as a need. It is the courage to stare down the worst parts of our experience and to commit to healing them the best we can.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

In these quiet days between Christmas and the new year, I invite you into rest, stillness, and presence. This season calls us to pause, to lean into the rhythms of winter, and to listen to what our bodies and spirits need. Learning to slow down and respond to our needs is not always intuitive. It’s a skill that requires practice, patience, and intentionality.

Winter offers us a model of rest. Trees stand bare, conserving energy for the spring. Snakes burrow deep, retreating from the cold. Squirrels rest after months of preparation, having stored their provisions. The natural world shows us the importance of embracing the season we are in, honoring the rhythms of stillness and restoration.

What would it look like to take a moment of quiet today? Quiet doesn’t always mean silence. It can mean creating space for stillness within yourself, even when life around you feels busy or loud. It’s about pausing to ask: What do I need today?

You are a whole being with needs that stretch across many dimensions—physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. What might nurture you in this season? Perhaps it’s a short walk in the crisp winter air, a cup of warm tea, a long soak in the bath, or simply sitting still for a moment to breathe deeply.

After reading this, I encourage you to take a moment of stillness. Close your eyes if you can, and listen. What is your body asking for? How can you tend to yourself today with kindness and care?

Breath prayer:
Inhale: I am still
Exhale: I am present