Winter Wisdom

My favorite part of this quote is "make me lazy". For what else is there to do when it darkens so early and lightens so late? Of course, with all the lights and electronics now we don't have to experience the dark. We can stay up as long as we want and arise when we want.

But what if we spent even one evening with no lights, no electronics as the sky grew dark? As the chill came up? Maybe we would be lucky enough to have a stove or fire-burner to keep up warm. Or a small heater. And lots of cosy blankets over our knees. Warm sweater and maybe even half-gloves to keep our hands warm? 

What do you imagine that might be like for you? Would you find yourself jumping out of your skin with nervous anxiety? Sitting for approximately 3 minutes and then giving up?

What do you imagine might be the benefits of spending time in the dark and quiet? 

I have so many clients suffering from anxiety, stress, depression. Struggling with relationships. Struggling with knowing themselves in deeper ways. 

And this brings me to one of my favorite poems by David Whyte, a poem that speaks to me about me. About how I don't spend enough time in the darkness pondering how I have made and or kept myself 'too small'.

Sweet Darkness

"When your eyes are tired the world is tired also.
When your vision has gone no part of the world can find you.
Time to go into the dark where the night has eyes to recognize its own.
There you can be sure you are not beyond love.
The dark will be your womb tonight.
The night will give you a horizon further than you can see.
You must learn one thing. The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn
anything or anyone that does not bring you alive
is too small for you."

And often that 'anything' or anyone' that does not bring us alive is...us!