Connect with Winter | There’s a light that’s born in each of us
The following blog post is part of my newsletter I send out monthly to subscribers.
At this time in the year the light levels drop quickly with cloudy grey skies, and the darkness of night feels like it draws in even earlier, especially on the drizzly rainy and misty days we’ve had recently. Winter is here, the cold winds have blown, we’ve had frosts in the city, glorious sunrises and misty mornings. Heavy rain has pummelled our home bringing the cosy sound of raindrops landing on our windows, and our garden is looking a little sad as the colour of our space changes as the vegetation dies back.
The trees stand bare sharing their beautiful outlines and creating stunning silhouettes against the winter sunrises and sunsets. Where the leaves have dropped and plants have died back we see the space beyond the branches and the landscapes and views that have laid hidden behind them for most of the year. Gardens feel bigger and more spacious with less vegetation filling the space, parks feel wider and the light levels more uniform as there are fewer areas in full shade. In amongst the bare trees and stark empty landscapes there are small signs of growth as the shoots from snowdrop bulbs begin to make an appearance. Winter brings stillness, clear space and simplicity, and an opportunity to rest.
As each season shifts and settles I have learnt to love what each brings and have become passionate about appreciating all of the seasons. I’m still in a phase of learning now and love adding even more rhythm, observations and learning to how I decide to connect to the seasons during each year.
During the few days between Christmas and New Year we tend to spend time seeing family and appreciate the time of connection. In years gone by this time has meant sitting with my journal for half a day, working through reflection workbooks, however now with a little person I am adjusting to making space in the fleeting moments I can take during this time to reflect. Reflection forms an important part of my end of year process and connecting to the season of winter.
Reflecting on what we have been doing as a family during the year enables me to appreciate the time we have had and provides me with a chance to look for lessons of learning and joy. In amongst my memories of this year one of the most special days we had was the Naming Day for our daughter Chloe. During the ceremony so many beautiful words were shared, promises made, and poems read. We decided to close the ceremony with a poem selected from a booklet of readings that our celebrant gave us, it instantly felt right to be part of Chloe’s day.
Here it is in full for you to read:
There’s a light that’s born in each of us
You’ll see it in another’s smile or in the brightness of their eyes;
You’ll feel it dawning round you if you gaze on nature’s skies;
You’ll catch it in the laughter of a friend you’ve caught off guard;
You’ll hear it in the music that comes singing from the heart.
There’s a light that’s born in each of us that has the power to shine.
You’ll sense it in a mother’s touch as she soothes her baby’s tears,
In tales of spiritual leaders, or great souls with powers to heal;
You’ll see it in the warmth of a family holding hands,
Or feel it glow when springtime sun spreads warmth on budding lands.
There’s a light that’s born in each of us that has the power to shine.
And yours may shine through music or in making people laugh;
In raising a loving family or helping others find their path,
Your light may be in gardening, in computing or in art,
International law or politics, or warming someone’s heart.
But there’s a light that’s born in each of us that has the power to shine.
This light shines brightest when you’re content, relaxed and whole;
It shines at its most brilliant when you’re true to self and soul;
Believe in it, it makes you special, it’s worth the price of gold,
And if you use it wisely it won’t fade as you grow old.
There’s a light that’s born in each of us that has the power to shine.
Next time your way’s uncertain, stop and question, ‘What’s mine?’.
By Lisa Edwards
The poem’s message feels very much like words and wisdom to live by and I feel lucky to have discovered the poem that Lisa has so artfully written. I cannot find Lisa online to link to her and thank her for her words so if you do, please let me know.
It feels that at this time of year around the Winter Solstice, festive celebrations and the continuation of the darkness we experience during the winter season, there is a need to be able to embrace and connect to the darkness. Reframing the way we feel about the winter darkness is so important, and for me this poem gives me a way to do just that.
I’d love for you to hold the words and the message of this poem close by as you navigate the remainder of winter and take a look at a few questions below that you help you explore and connect to the season. Just as we take time to adjust our eyes to the night sky and look for the brightest star, I invite you to be kind to yourself and take the time for the remainder of the winter months to look inside yourself to discover your light, and locate your star. The winter solstice marked the point where we see a gradual return of the light to our day, bit by bit, it’s time to let your light begin to shine.
How does the winter feel at this point of the season for you? When the Christmas and New Year celebrations have finished how does it feel for you? What could you do differently to make it even more positive?
Take a few moments to re-read the poem. How does the poem make you feel? What is connecting with your heart as you read it? What things are you thinking about?
What is the ‘light’ within you that has the power to shine? Explore this question in a way that feels comfortable and familiar. For example you could capture some thoughts in bullet points or in a stream of consciousness in your journal, you could draw something that you are visualising, you could create a piece of music that evokes the feeling, you could take a walk with your thoughts and connect to nature to help you discover more answers, or even create a mood board to express the feelings and thoughts you have.
Take time over the next month to connect with the winter season. These questions can take you on a journey of discovery and can be a great way to take stock of where you are now. If you are looking for additional ways to reflect I'd recommend Susannah Conway's Unravel Your Year workbook.
Reflect on the Season
The winter season is about hibernating, resting and pausing. Taking cues from nature around us and connecting to the seasons is so beneficial. There’s a quiet feeling to this season, a gentle slowness inviting us to simplify things, and the space to nurture ourselves for the next phase of growth. The process of reflection doesn’t need to be completed before the new year and I highly recommend that you take time during the first month or so of the coming year to reflect and make gentle plans for yourself. I hope that these prompts will help you reflect within the winter season, connect to the theme of light and continue your thoughts from the questions above.
1 - What can I let go of to enable my ‘light’ to break through and begin to shine?
2 - What can I do to allow even more of my ‘light’ to shine?
3 - Where can I take my ‘light’ in the next decade?
4 - What can I do to connect to my ‘light’ today? What one thing could I do this week? Write it down. Set a gentle reminder to connect with it each day, put a note in a place where you will see it, find a photo or picture that connects to your 'light' and make it visible to you each day.
5 - Does my ‘light’ have a sound, song or piece of music that I can use to connect and act as a reminder?
6 - Perhaps there’s a fond taste or smell that connects me to my ‘light’? Explore with my senses how to connect to the ‘light’ I have identified within me.
7 - As the light gradually returns, lengthening our days, think about what you can do each day to connect to your own light. A gradual progress of connection is a sustainable way to build new habits and a great way to establish a gentle routine. What will I do to connect?