Not. Quite. Yet.

How do we move from the dark, quiet cave of winter to the exuberance of spring in a thoughtful way?

We do it with care and kindness.

We honor the wisdom of Nature, of body, of soul. We make space to slowly wander out among the still bare trees. We feel the frozen earth thawing into mud beneath our feet. We ground ourselves with calming practices like meditation, tai chi and gentle yoga. We shake & stretch the stagnation from our limbs. We open our mouths and let the muffled sounds ring out.

We remember our oneness with the natural world.

Ancient peoples understood that each season offered a unique prescription on how to nourish life.

February, a predominantly yin month, is a windy bridge that connects winter to spring. The wind is powerful. It moves through the body the same way it moves through the landscape. (In Classical Chinese Medicine, the climatic factor of wind is known as the spearhead of the 10,000 diseases.) It’s not unusual to feel windy on the inside this time of year - excess ideation, indecision, emotions blowing up and down the streets of your heart. These are all manifestations of internal wind.

Between now and mid-March, when spring triumphs over winter’s hold, I encourage you to find yin ways to experience the stirrings of spring: Listen to the birds. Feel the sun on your face. Sense the shift of energy in your body, in the natural world. Watch the night sky. Draw a map. Gather your seeds. Dream. And cultivate patience.

Reflect on what you want your garden of rebirth to look, feel, taste and smell like.

February comes to schools us on patience as we stand in the threshold between winter and spring’s return.

Happy, slow reawakening!