Winter: when dying is being born again
- Dorota
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
The classical Chinese texts indicate the 7th November as the beginning of Winter season. For most westerners, especially in southern Europe, this time may still feel very much like Autumn. Yet, the lowering of temperatures betray a distinctive change in the air, announcing Winter's arrival.
I have long contemplated whether to tackle a profound subject like dying for this Winter blog. Yet, given that life is an ongoing cycle of dying and rebirth, it is one of the most essential topics for us to examine more thoroughly. Dying and rebirth happen continuously, not only at the beginning and end of our lives but also in smaller cycles that repeat daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. It is about all beginnings and endings.
Winter is the time of year when we observe dying in nature. Trees, stripped of their leaves, appear lifeless, yet they merely retreat to be reborn in spring. Some animals vanish into hibernation, their heart rates nearly stopping as they enter a deep sleep, experiencing a form of temporary death. Humans also encounter a daily "little death" when we sleep, only to awaken restored each morning. Upon waking, we are no longer the same as yesterday; our bodies have renewed, shedding layers of skin, our minds are clearer from the previous day's memories, and our souls have regenerated during dream time.
We are similarly affected by the Winter season. We retreat from life's hustle to undergo our seasonal "little death." Just as Nature rests to be reborn in Spring, we also require this seasonal transformation to experience renewal. Dying is crucial for our renewal, rebirth, regeneration and growth. In fact, our aging process depends on it. The more we become fixed in our physical, mental, and emotional states, the more it makes us age. On the contrary, allowing the seasonal and daily rhythm of stepping from one cycle into the other, we enhance our regeneration.
Dying, contrary to our usual associations, is not about letting go and leaving an empty space. This is the feeling we experience when we lose someone; they leave an empty space that causes us to grieve. This energy is more palpable in Autumn when letting go is also letting in. The person who is dying does not feel that empty space; instead, they are undergoing a transformation. Like a worm becoming a butterfly, a chameleon changing colors, or water freezing in the cold and evaporating in the heat. There are no empty spaces or need to leave anything behind, but rather one substance transforming into another, becoming an entirely new being, in shape, density, and frequency. More so this year, in the astrological year of a Snake, which helps us energetically shed our old skin.
Some manifestations of such shapeshifting are physical, one may physically change the body shape, lose or gain weight, may cut or grow hair, display different facial expression, or change gait. Mentally, one may notice his/her mind is occupied with different thoughts, objectives, or transform own values. Whether these changes are physical or mental the lasting changes arise from the transformation that takes place deep inside of us.
In Chinese Medicine when our material essence, Jing, connects with our immaterial self, the Spirit (in Chinese Medicine it is called Shen) they form "Jing Shen", our life incarnation. Jing, the essence, is related to the deepest part of us, the darker side, the unknown, the subconscious, hence that which brings up the emotion of fear in us. Shen, the spirit, is the light, luminous and eternal part of us is that which brings out the emotion of love in us. The connection of the Jing and Shen is what allows the process of living one's true destiny in life, unfolding of our true purpose in this life. The two are the opposites, Jing is related to the Water Element, the Winter season, the Kidneys in lower part of our body, and fear in our emotions. Shen, is related to the Fire Element, the Summer season, the Heart organ and upper body and the emotion of joy.
Winter is the season most distant from the height of Summer's brightness, from the lightness of the Spirit, and the feeling of eternity. During winter, we become more conscious of our physical existence and survival instincts, heightening our awareness of the body and the material aspect of ourselves that has a natural end.
This deep introspection serves another purpose: to identify what lies within us that we have yet to acknowledge. Illuminating these subconscious aspects (dark) with our consciousness (light) is the transformation that takes place during the Winter months, as old parts of us fade away to give colours to new aspects. Each Spring, we are reborn different from who we were the previous year.
How can we ignite the Spirit's spark during these dark winter months? Remembering that love precedes the creation of new earthly life, and it is love that conquers fear. Rumi said:
"Only love has power over lovers.
Death has none."
Remember to be like lovers in your life, and create from love. Hence, we spend time with the loved ones during Christmas season, this darkest part of the year cycle. By embracing joy and love as we explore our essence, we uncover new aspects within us.
The process of uncovering of self might be bumpy, as birthing requires time and space, balancing the highs and lows with the unifying force of love. As Rumi aptly expressed it:
"I was dead, then alive.
Weeping, then laughing.
The power of love came into me,
and I became fierce like a lion,
then tender like the evening star."
During these winter months, we might want to face our ultimate fear and ponder on the "real" death, the one that marks the end of our earthly existence. And the moment we consider that one day we will transition to the Spirit life, leaving our physicality here on Earth, it often bacomes clearer what truly matters and holds value to us. The chaos and daily hustle of life suddenly calm down, allowing us to strip away the non-essential, get to the bare bone and sharp focus on what truly necessitates our limited resources of time and energy.
For all this to evolve effortlessly within us, it is essencial to take care of the organs that store our essence: the Kidneys and the Bladder. Starting from the suggestion of the Su Wen classic of Chinese Medicine as to the way one proceeds in winter months.
"The 3 months of winter
are called closing and storing.(...)
One goes to bed early: one gets up late.
Everything must be done according to the light of the Sun, exerting the will as if buried, as if hidden and taking care only of onself, as if fixed on oneself, in possession of oneself.
Once must avoid cold and seek the heat;
Not let anything escape through the layers of the skin, for fear of losing all the Qi. (...)
It is the way that maintains the storing of life.
To go countercurrent would injure the kidneys, causing in spring impotence and deficiency,
through insufficient supply for the production of life."
Living in harmony throughout the winter months means to truely understand that stopping and being still, is actually necessary for things to move. So, avoiding physical overexertion, taking regularly quiet time off and much sleep.
One Taoist yogic practice indicates for "when kidneys have been ill over a long period of time, you must face south an hour before dawn. Clear the mind, not allowing any unruly thoughts and stop up the breath, seven times in all. Then stretch out the neck, gently swallowing the breath down, like swallowing a solid object. After performing this practice seven times, take saliva down, again and again, with the tongue."
During winter, it is important to preserve all bodily essences, including breath, saliva, and seminal essence. One approach to nourishing our essence and Kidneys is by consuming an appropriate seasonal diet. First, try to avoid cold and raw foods as much as possible. Instead, opt for cooked, oven-baked meals and soups to counteract the cold environment. Secondly, prioritize foods rich in nourishment and warmth, such as seeds, nuts, pulses, meat, and fish. The vegetables that best nourish the essence are root vegetables and sea vegetables (algae). Incorporate warming spices like cinnamon, clove, star anise, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. In phytotherapy, it is the time to supplement with adaptogenic and tonifying herbs, such as ginseng, licorice, cordyceps, ashwagandha, maca, astragalus, goji berries, and corniolo.
Another way to tonify our Kidneys in winter is with acupuncture and warming moxa treatment. To book yourself for a winter session, click below for contact details.
