Winter

Dear Patient,

In my part of the world we recently had a few glorious spring-like days—temperatures in the low 70’s, sunshine, daffodils peeking up to say hello. It was marvelous. Everyone was in a good mood.

And then a cold front came through and plunged us back into winter. Cold, gray, blah.

It happens like this every year. The forsythia erupt in a fanfare of yellow, the tender shoots start to appear on last year’s deadwood, and we think winter is over. And we’re always wrong. Around here our last hard frost usually happens right before Easter, and that’s still weeks away.

We want to rush headlong into spring, but winter isn’t done with us yet. It still has a lessons to teach.

In winter, nature contracts, directing its energy inward to conserve resources. The same happens in the body. Qi sinks into the interior, and the pulses deepen and slow. Warmth is scarce and precious. Expending energy unnecessarily could be a threat to survival.

Where have you contracted this winter? What have you conserved? Have you looked inward? What have you found in the darkness?

There’s still time to learn the lessons of winter.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist