There’s something incredibly reassuring about the first signs of spring, it feels hopeful and exciting. In many cultures, spring is celebrated as the beginning of the life cycle and it brings with it a sense of renewal. We’re able to rise early with the sun; spring flowers and warm sunshine tease our senses.

It’s a good time to reflect, make adjustments to your routine and set intentions for the season ahead. Take some time to connect to your environment and to the natural rhythms and cycles that influence us.

As the seasons change and the days grow longer and lighter, we naturally have more energy and we can welcome a period of growth, development and transformation. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine there are five seasons: Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn and Winter. Each season supports, nourishes and prepares the body for the next season, creating a constant cycle of wellbeing. In line with this, we’ll be offering five seasonal retreats per year and sharing simple self-care techniques to help you integrate wellbeing into your everyday life.

You can read more about Traditional Chinese Medicine here.

Spring is celebrated as the beginning of the life cycle. It’s a fresh start – a time of renewal and growth. This season gives us a boost in energy to create exciting plans, begin new projects, and make new connections.

At State of Liberty, we’re looking forward and preparing for spring, the season of planning. In order to plan effectively for the year ahead, it’s a good idea to clarify what’s important to you, and a good place to start is by exploring and connecting with your core values.

In Chinese Five Element Theory, winter describes a time of hibernation. It’s a period of stillness, introspection, and deep restoration. As the season is governed by the element water, the bodily systems of the kidneys and bladder need to be considered at this time of year. Together with the reproductive organs, these are considered to house what’s referred to as ‘Vital Essence’, or what you could call our ‘mojo’!

Mojo requires a balance of activity and rest. Imagine a brisk walk in the woods before coming home to a bowl of steaming broth, morning yoga before enjoying a slow breakfast, or chopping logs before curling up in front of the fire.

Last year, Gemma wrote a beautiful piece on winter living. Today, I’d like to build on this and focus on three important areas to help you enjoy your most restorative winter yet!

The Nature of Rest

In Chinese Five Element Theory, winter describes a period of hibernation, introspection, and deep restoration. Nature reminds us that we require deep nourishment at this time of year. We can all benefit from taking time out to rest and refocus, and the winter season naturally supports this important process.

Winter is a time to dream and connect with what’s important to you. From a place of rest, you can align yourself with your goals and plans in preparation for spring, when the energy is there to bring them to fruition.

Living in a fast-paced world, isolated from nature, it’s easy to miss these natural influences. Once upon a time, nature was home. Our lives were inseparable from it, and it profoundly shaped our existence, providing everything that sustained us. But not anymore.

At State of Liberty, we believe eating should be joyful and celebratory. Nutrition, health and wellbeing are intrinsically linked. When we’re conscious of our food choices and aware of our personal needs, natural rhythms, cycles and habits, we are choosing the most responsible and liberating way of eating and living.

What to Eat In Winter

In Chinese Five Element Theory, the season of winter is governed by the water element. The organs relating to water are the kidneys and bladder, so in this post we’ll be referring to kidney energy, that which supports our vital energies or ‘mojo’. You can read more about this in our introduction to the season.

Chinese Five Elements Theory follows a five-season cycle. Each season corresponds with one of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and supports, nourishes, and prepares the body for the next season – creating a constant cycle of wellbeing.

Sarah D Rees is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist working in full-time private practice. She delivers therapy to people with a variety of mental health problems including anxiety, stress, trauma, and depression.

Having worked in mental health for over 20 years, Sarah is passionate about finding the most up-to-date, helpful and effective strategies for improving people’s psychological wellbeing. Last year, she launched The CBT Journal, a tool for self-care designed to help you understand your mind, build emotional resilience and improve your mental health.

Today, Sarah shares her own unique wellbeing story with the SOL community…