settle

During winter we are naturally called to hibernate. Days shorten, temperatures drop and our bodies want to nest, cocoon and keep warm.

But for many of us, we have festive celebrations and so go against the body's rhythms and desire to rest and retreat. Instead we get wrapped up in the distraction and commercialism of the expectations this time of year forces upon us. For some, this can eventually feel unsettling, disorienting and exhausting.

We aren't suggesting we all curl up and sleep for a month, though some of us probably could do with a deep slumber! But it's important to listen to your body and slow down in as many ways as possible, to prevent burnout, depletion and depression.

We speak of slowing down a lot. In movement, slow encourages strength. It's much easier to subconsciously throw our bodies around (only to suffer later down the line), than to engage every muscle and move with precision and grace. True strength and flexibility can only be gained by slower practices, otherwise they are fleeting, unsustainable and most likely injurious.

As the nights draw in, we encourage you to keep checking in and seeing how you feel. It's okay to decline an invitation, or take an early night or skip plans if it's of service to you. JOMO vs FOMO can be a fulfilling practice on and beyond the mat. There's always another option, an alternative. You can't fill others from an empty cup.

To settle where you are, to sink in and listen. Listening: listen-in. To take a moment to pause in presence. And to be okay with where you're at, right here, now. Presence is the most precious gift. It can be attained anywhere, but it takes a moment of sinking in.

So, this month we practice longer-held posture, meditation, the art of be-ing and speaking our truth.

Winter solstice is so close. There's an abundance of light on the horizon.

And for those of us that find December difficult or lonely, remember to settle down and drop comparison with others. Compassion, union, love and kindness can be shared in all ways, beyond just one day or week of the year. Society has a habit of separating us from nature, and of placing more value on commercialism and materialism, than on true connection. But deep down, we all know the things that matter most.

Life is the gift. Presence is the present. The things that really matter are fleeting and rare. They're the moments that settle deep in heart and stay. The ones that encourage light and abundance.

These are the things that matter most. So don't get caught up in someone else's idea of how things should or could be. Remember what matters and be true to yourself.