Embrace this solar term with the renewing practice of pause. 

The energy that is significant this time of year is from 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM. It is the most still time of day amongst the most still time of year. Holistic Eastern medicine incorporates lunar phases with elements of nature, areas of the body, and time of day.

It’s a moment to pause, to feel the dark, and the stillness before the sun awakens the earth.

When I tap into the stillness I feel the qualities of rest and renewal. If you struggle to feel this quality, try waking early and just sit. Pay attention to what you notice and feel.

This renewal created from stillness comes from diving deep. It is said that the turtle dives the deepest. I like to think of following the sea turtle down to the deepest part of me. This is a physical place in our bodies, the adrenal glands, which sit on top of our kidneys. During our deepest sleep is when we rest in our kidneys/adrenal glands. Only then can we restore and renew.

How deep can you dive? This is the metaphor for sleeping deeply. Can you dive to the deepest part of you and rest? Or is there a block preventing you from going deep? If so, where is it in your body? Your eyes, your nose, your throat; perhaps your chest, your liver, or your intestines?

Watch for the stillness turning into stagnation. It is the water that will stagnate first. You will start to feel puffy, a little uncomfortable in your skin. It’s how a snake must feel before its skin begins to shed.

The flush of spring is around the corner. Now is time to prepare by watching for and correcting the little things. Incorporate dry brushing, sauna, sweating, movement, and good hydration to help the water move.

The rhythm of nature is the organizing principle I invite you to use as a framework for checking in and being present. I will continue to share how we can mindfully move through lunar phases with an intention that matches the rhythms of the natural world.

Enjoy diving deep and experiencing the renewal of stillness.