“During the cold of the Winter season, the qi and sap descend to the roots…where life forever are gathered, stored, protected and infused with new vitality…Now the hard seeds rest, unmoving in the darkness. But this time of yin hibernation and gestation is ultimately a regeneration of the life force that opens the way for the vigorous upward surging of early spring.”1
A warm Winter Solstice Greetings, Dear Ones.
In the deep stillness of the coming Winter, I offer here some suggestions for taking care of your beautiful spirits, curious minds and the glorious temples of your bodies. I invite you to go deep within yourselves with some grounding and clearing breaths. Find your own stillness in your lower abdomen (called the lower Dan Tian). Ground yourselves with the Earth by imagining roots extending from the bottoms of your feet and extending deep into the soil. Now, bring your awareness to your heart center. Invite yourself to enter into a space of deep peace as you read these words.
The Winter Solstice marks the turning point in the Northern Hemisphere when the Light begins to return. There is a moment of time when we transition from the dark to the light, and this transition is a powerful opportunity. Lena Stevens from The Power Path says: “A still point creates an opportunity where we can access the void, the space between the past we are releasing and the future which has not yet been manifest. The void provides a container of freedom to make different choices and to raise the bar for yourself on how you want to go forward in your life.” Lena recommends that we “Work with the sun’s energy and use the spirit of fire as an ally to cleanse, burn and release the old. Write your releases down on a paper and burn or bury them. Also write what you have learned from all your experiences in 2023 and send some gratitude for the lessons, the teachings and the wisdom that is now a part of you…Solstices can be times of healing as they support the shift point where you release, forgive and reset something…we are revising, restructuring, revaluing, repatterning and recommitting to living the way of our truth. …be in your heart and listen to the intelligence, wisdom, intuition and truth of your heart. Use that truth as a guide and compass to clarify any intentions you set for yourself for this next cycle. This next year is a big one and it is highly recommended to be as prepared as possible.”2
The essential Classical text and basis for Classical Chinese Medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing, suggests that we are meant to follow Nature’s flow and, in the winter months, begin to slow down. Go to bed early, sleep in, limit social obligations. Meditate regularly to become still and quiet your mind.
To nourish your physical body, avoid raw food and cold food and drink in the winter. Focus on nourishing soups, warm broths and roasted root vegetables. When outside, be sure to protect your wind gates (located behind your ears and the back of your neck) by wearing a scarf and a warm hat. Inspire yourself to bundle up and get out for some moderate walking or hiking. Allow the sun to touch your face and imagine bringing in the rays of the Sun to heat and bring light into every cell of your body. Take hot Epsom salt or magnesium flake baths infused with essential oils of Spruce, Fir, Juniper, Sage or Rose.
The winter months correspond to the Water Element. My beautiful mentor, Lorie Dechar, Five-Element Taoist Acupuncturist, Alchemical Healer and author, says “Water asks us to listen deeply to the needs of our being.” It also asks us to “take heed of our larger destiny”.3
In her book Kigo; Exploring the Spiritual Essence of Acupuncture Points Through the Changing Seasons, Lorie suggests the following essential oils and acupuncture points for the Winter months:
Essential Oils for Winter
Cedar for endurance, faith, longevity. Gives the will to hold firm. Relieves fatigue, sharpens focus and fortifies the will. Has a gentle, slow, deep and long-lasting stimulating effect on the adrenals.
Nutmeg: useful for adrenal insufficiency, lack of energy, lack of ambition, nervous fears and low libido. Has neuroprotective properties and has a brightening yet calming effect on the mind. (Use this essence in very small amounts or diluted).
Balsam Fir: when the Water has reached the depth of the darkness and it’s time to bring in the light. For opening our hearts in faith. Calming, rooting but also very invigorating.
Sweet Birch Bark: cooling, calming and also brightening. Sweet but resilient, quiet yet determined, providing clarity and a peaceful atmosphere.
Juniper for tenacity and resilience, strengthening the will, capacity to stand strong and upright in the face of adversity. Drives out negativity and relieves the fear of failure. Can activate the life force and bring vitality back to the soul.
Acupuncture Points for Winter
Spirit Points are acupuncture points that have a profound and lasting effect by working on the level of our Spirits. These points can be activated by applying acupressure or scheduling a session with an acupuncturist trained in Spirit-level work. The following suggestions are from Lorie Dechar’s book Kigo in her chapter on the Water Element:
BL1, Eye Bright: Located at the inner canthus of the eye, this is the portal of spiritual vision..the enlivening, animating soul of life. This point calls on the deepest virtues and wisdom of the Water element and ignites the spark of the Spirit. It “ignites the spark of fire that illuminates the soul”4
BL47 (52) Amibition Room: This point is located on both sides of the back, over the kidneys. It helps restore our life force and “…supports the foundation of a person’s will to live, augment their resiliency and spark their instinctual survival drive…” For “extreme over-exhaustion due to long-term stress, adrenal burnout due to intensive over-work and excess pushing of the will without regard to the physical body’s needs”
BL60 Kunlun Mountain: Located on the outside of the ankles, below the lateral malleolus. This is the connecting link between body, mind, spirit and soul and provides “stabilized wholeness of the self, capacity for reflective, restful tranquility and determined effective movement when the time is right”
Kd 3 Great Mountain Stream: adaptogenic. “For depletion and exhaustion, it brings replenishing nourishment, strength and endurance. When there is shakiness, agitation and excess emotion, it brings peace and calm”
Kd 7 Returning Current: “a point of rebirth, reawakens desires, drive and will to live.” “When someone is disheartened, exhausted or has completely lost touch with the river of their Tao…when there is a need for something to be reborn…when action proceeds without the stabilizing influence of wisdom and when the light of faith no longer illuminates the darkness of the world”5
Applying gentle pressure or a drop of one the essential oils listed above to these points can offer deep support during the winter months.
When we allow ourselves to be still in the Winter, we honor Nature’s flow. We give ourselves the opportunity to restore, renourish and refresh for the coming Spring and Summer. This ‘voluntary retreat’ into the darkness allows us to “…accept the ever-changing forms of life, to go with the flow and to trust that with every descent, there will be a rising; with every death, there will be a resurrection.”6
May your winter be filled with deep peace and stillness and dreams of beautiful things to come.
With abundant blessings to all who read this words,
Dr. Babbie
- Kigo: exploring the spiritual essence of acupuncture points through the changing seasons. Dechar, Loire – Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers – 2021 ↩︎
- ©2023 All rights reserved. www.thepowerpath.com
You may make copies of this writing and distribute it in any media you wish, so long as you do not charge for it or alter it in any way. You must credit the author and include this entire copyright notice. While the text may be shared, no audio files, including lectures, music and/or sound meditations, may be posted on any site for any reason without written permission from the Power Path.
↩︎ - Kigo: exploring the spiritual essence of acupuncture points through the changing seasons. Dechar, Loire – Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers – 2021. pg 42 ↩︎
- Kigo: exploring the spiritual essence of acupuncture points through the changing seasons. Dechar, Loire – Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers – 2021. pg 49-68 ↩︎
- Kigo: exploring the spiritual essence of acupuncture points through the changing seasons. Dechar, Loire – Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers – 2021. pg 49-68
↩︎ - Kigo: exploring the spiritual essence of acupuncture points through the changing seasons. Dechar, Loire – Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers – 2021. pg 42
↩︎