InSense #4 - Winter 2023
February 2023, Winter
Theme: Stillness
Softly whispering winds. A few worn and frost-tipped greens scattered along the ground. The comfort from under your softest blanket. Winter is a gentle kiss of quietude for your nervous system. Interrupted only by a sudden crack of the nearby fireplace. Whereas Autumn’s harvest brings abundance, Winter’s lack provides space for meaningful introspection and connection with the profound…less. Perhaps a shift from “going out” into the world to “staying in” and slowing down. Being with yourself a bit more. What a Winter gift.
What can you hear when you are still? When all the world is still?
I have been thinking of the first year of a Mullein plant’s life recently, and how it relates to this season. The energetics of its choice to stay low to the ground, to grow patiently and unfurl slowly to create a strong center of flanneled leaves that layer more densely the more inward you explore. Mullein is an ally in many ways, but energetically (when greeted in nature, in a tea cup, or when taking a few drops of its first year plant essence for example)it helps you find stillness - our theme for this edition of InSense. As I read somewhere recently - Mullein brings stillness, not as in a lack of movement, but so that you may be best able to listen deeply and receive. Stillness in your being so that we may connect and listen. What an aligned idea with our Winter experience.
I encourage you to pause here for a few deep, slow, warming breaths and then please enjoy this loving, seasonal offering.
Below are ideas of ‘presencing’ practice, both outward and inward. Two energetic directions, equal in importance in this seasonal shift. Some are intimate, with the intention of self love in mindful moments. Others are creative sparks for the senses. I hope they will bring something to your experience of Winter, and aid in feeling the awe and delight in every moment of this season.
sight
inward
Let’s rest our eyes together. They work so hard to support us. Try if you can, for an hour, one night, or a week if it feels easeful, to eliminate excessive or forced light from your evenings at home. Try to rely on candlelight once the sun goes down and see how it feels. Bright interior lights and screens have more of an effect on our well being than we may realize, but especially after the sun goes down. Our bodies are meant to experience less stimulation during this time and for anyone who finds resting their eyes to fall asleep or stay asleep challenging, this could be a beautiful practice to bring into routine during the Winter.
Dinner by candlelight feels better in my body, which makes me think of my digestion and the many ways it must benefit from this shift. I find that without artificial light I am more mindful of when my body is craving sleep, and when I allow this to lead my evening I sleep soundly. It almost feels as if my body is rewarding me for being better tuned into what it’s asking for. Try this shift and see how it makes you feel. How your eyes look and feel in the morning. Maybe it’ll soften the call for a second cup of coffee to fuel your waking hours.
outward
Please do your spirit a favor and take yourself and your loved ones to the Portland Art Museum soon. There are currently three exhibits that cracked my heart wide open and must be witnessed. Native American art, Queer empowerment performance art, and environmental advocacy are all intertwined and the combination is profoundly moving. Dakota Modern:The Art of Oscar Howe, runs until May 14th of this year. Jeffrey Gibson:They Come From Fire, will be here until April 30th. But Jeffrey Gibson:To Name An Other, is only with us through February 26th. Speaking to the power and intersectionality of these three exhibits is beyond my ability, so please take my word for it and head to PAM to experience them for yourself.
My household highly recommends viewing STUTZ on Netflix. What a moving and rare glimpse into the trust and vulnerability involved in a therapist/patient relationship. Take it all in once, and then over again.
smell
inward
This is a comfort practice. It requires collecting items from around you while in your home space. A favorite sweater, a well worn pillow, your softest blanket, whatever makes you feel warm, safe, and very cozy. Wrap yourself gently in these items, in your scent that lingers on them, and find a moment of stillness to center. Now take a deep breath in through your nose and notice what smells or notes encircle you. Take a few more breaths and see if anything new reveals itself. In this moment of safety and softness, allow your nose and sense of smell to create a memory. Allow your entire body, at ease and held sweetly, to register this feeling that you have provided for yourself. Your mind, your entire complex collection of systems is taking in this moment and the knowledge that all you need is to become still and comfortable to care for yourself.
outward
Bundle up and take a chilly Winter walk. Preferably somewhere with tall trees like Powell Butte, Mount Tabor or Forest Park. Connect with the trees by breathing deeply while you linger on your walk. Maybe thank them for lending their wisdom and healing and uplifting aromas. If you happen to find any downed branches and can access a few leaves, hold them in your palm to warm them gently, then bury your nose in them and take a long, deep breath in. What do you smell within their bright aroma? Citrus? A faint, honey-like sweetness? Menthol-y notes?
Do their smells make you feel grounded, invigorated or both simultaneously? Do you feel joy? Gratitude? There are no wrong answers when connecting with nature. Simply be present and enjoy.
sound
inward
When was the last time you hummed for yourself? Humming is a powerful connector to your body and can bring you into the present moment with yourself quickly when faced with moments of stress or anxiety. Find yourself a moment of stillness to explore this.
Does humming different notes bring different feelings for you? Do you feel certain notes resonate in specific areas or depths of the body? Did it feel natural for you to hum an actual song, or just one note at a time. Stay here and play with this. Be curious with yourself and your inner voice.
If you need inspiration, this is my favorite song for a humming practice lately. I like to hum this in my studio to prepare for a day of special clients visiting. I find it fills my heart and our space with comforting energy that will allow for supported exchange throughout the day.
outward
Some real mellow tunes to suit a cold, quiet day inside.
taste
inward
Brew yourself a cup of herbal tea. Perhaps a simple one with just a few herbs and tastes. While it’s steeping or cooling, find yourself a comfortable seat, take a few deep breaths, and allow your mind to soften. Can you imagine what the tea you are waiting to drink will taste like? How it will make you feel once you take a sip? Can you imagine the sensation of its warmth moving through your throat and chest? Where will that warmth land inside of you?
When you’re ready, begin to slowly sip your tea. What tastes can you identify? Where do you feel those flavors land on your tongue? Can you sense what effect these tastes have on your tongue or within your body? Are they tonifying perhaps? Gently warming or stimulating in sensation? Cooling despite being in warm tea? Sweet, nourishing, calming. The warming of healing plants and flowers to sip is such a gift that connects us to deep within ourselves and our ancestry. I encourage you to bring this mindfulness into your daily cups of tea.
outward
Rose Family Winter Tea
(experiment with parts here, it’s half the fun)
Tulsi/Holy Basil
Rose Petals
Oat Straw
Cardamon pods
touch
inward
My most offered advice when beautiful humans ask what they can do to support their skin at home is to incorporate self touch and massage. One of the most recommended areas to care for in this way is your scalp. Think of your scalp as a bridge from your face to your body. Massaging and stimulating your scalp will benefit both tension held in the facial muscles and tension held in the neck and back, and on and on. An invigorating massage in the morning will help energize, while a slower, warmer massage in the evening will lull you into a perfect night of rest.
Gently warm a bit of oil in the palms of your hands and begin running through your hair. Begin with more superficial touch at first, taking time to notice the texture of your hair and what your system begins to communicate as you treat yourself to this time. As you feel ready, take this touch a little deeper by beginning to gently glide over the surface of your scalp. Can you feel outlines of tense muscles? And when it feels right begin to deepen your touch to something that feels like massage. Are there areas where you feel fascial restriction? Maybe like a little resistance to movement, or stagnancy in need of blood flow. Stay with those areas longer, with very little movement of your hands or finger tips, and see if they can begin to unwind.
Caring self touch is so important and yet we tend to leave very little time or mindfulness for it. I hope your scalp feels warmed and freed, and that you can feel benefits within your whole being after offering yourself this loving care.
outward
If you’ve been feeling cold to your bones this Winter, I suggest a 90 minute Body Focus Session at Full Heart Healing. While each session together is different, and that includes from season to season, I find incorporating LomiLomi into our massage during the colder months is key for energetic and physical warming and support. Breath, rhythmic flow and a generous amounts of warming oils will relax your entire being and fill your cup with a reserve of energy circulating from the inside out. LomiLomi is a traditional healing modality of Hawaii that offers an invigorating flush to your system and yet still allows for deep rest while receiving. Its intention is to connect you to the rhythms and spirit of nature, ancestry, and your own inner knowing of how to heal. When coming in for a massage of any length, feel free to ask me about this modality and its benefits. We can incorporate a bit of this flow if you are feeling curious or make it our entire session. I know you’ll find it supportive.