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The Intrigue of Winter
By
Spirit of Design
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We tend to reject winter as a season to endure and turn our backs on while waiting for spring to arrive. Winter's wild, blustery winds, hail and rain, bleak grey skies and cold temperatures cause us to hide indoors until it's over. On my recent walks into winter I have been gently reminded that in fact winter too has its beauty and intrigue. There is something rather peaceful and contemplative about the silence and emptiness of winter.
The stark bare trees, their dark lacy branches silhouetted against a steely sky, are elegant in their simplicity. The sea is dark green and tempestuous one day, steely grey and dead calm the next. Gardens hibernate and streets are empty, and yet in their stillness the subtleties of light, colour and texture, that are missed in the lush splendour of summer, come into their own. Winter's colours are dulled and muted – mostly desolate greys, dirty browns, etched metals, and watery blues. Almost as though offering relief from the clamouring of colours and growth in other seasons, winter's simplicity is soothing for the soul, quietening for the mind.
Winter has its complexity too; occasional clear, luminous and sunny days can be whipped into a furious storm in a moment, twisting the tress and whipping an icy, cutting wind through city streets.
According to the theory of the Five Elements, winter is represented by 'water'. In contrast to summer's 'yang' nature winter's energy is 'yin' – contracted, passive, cold, hard and still. In Traditional Chinese Medicine water relates to the kidneys, bladder, sex organs and lower back. Winter is the time of year when life recedes deep into the ground, emerging for new growth in spring. Similarly for us, winter is a time for waiting, for deep-thinking and contemplation, in preparation for growth and momentum again in spring.
Winter at Home
Here are some things we can do at home in order to live in harmony with winter:
Using furnishings, introduce qualities of softness, warmth, stability, comfort and containment to balance the hard and contracted energy of winter.
Ensure your home is energy-efficient; this conserves your life force energy.
Arrange furniture to bring people together, aligned with the walls of the room to achieve stability and communication.
Water relates to the Feng Shui colours of black and dark blue. In terms of decorating, add interest to winter's colours (charcoal, slate, chocolate, and navy) with metallics (white, pewter, copper, bronze, steel, silver and gold), and uplifting wood colours (teal, mid-blue, lime, pistachio, wasabi).
Ensure all windows have curtains or blinds to contain heat, especially at night.
Seal draughty doors and windows.
Allocate a special place and time for meditation, reading and other quiet activities.
The essential oils with spicy woody aromas such as cedarwood, cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli, orange, ylang ylang and pepper can create a warm and exotic ambience.
Wear clothes that protect your neck, ears, lower back and kidneys from the cold winter winds.
Adjust your work program to include more passive tasks such as planning, writing, designing, studying, researching.
Design your garden to have shade trees that lose their leaves in winter in those areas where you can optimise the warmth of the milder winter sun.
The body can be strengthened and balanced during the colder months with dark salty foods such as miso and black beans.
Eat locally grown winter foods such as pumpkin, sweet potato, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and brown rice. In soups and stews these warm and nourish the stomach, spleen and kidneys, assist concentration and build stamina.
Root vegetables such as carrots, leeks, parsnips and potatoes are grounding and balancing during the colder months.
A hot soup made with miso, ginger, garlic and shallots is not only delicious but also cures the winter chills caused by cold, cutting winds.
Avoid cold foods and drinks such as salads, raw fruits, and ice cream, as these stress the body, creating disharmony, especially for the kidneys.
When we seal out cold draughts we tend to create stagnant and polluted indoor air. For a few minutes daily open doors and windows to invigorate and replenish the life force energy of your home with fresh air and sunlight.
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