the Equinoxes and Solstices), the celebration of harvest time and events such as eclipses that invited a cosmological element in the contemplation of the rhythm of nature. Almost all festivities were done to honor and mark a significant event in the natural procession of the seasons, such as the beginning of a season (i.e. Our ancient ancestors were keenly aware of the necessity to fit into the natural accord. Life was a fragile balance, with the forces of nature holding ultimate power. Rain meant crops and nourishment, which would ensure survival. To go against the way of nature engendered by the spirits of the seasons is the first step toward disease. Ancient traditions understood the primacy of attuning to nature because lives used to be inextricably and intimately tied to nature itself.Īgrarian societies were wholly dependent on the munificence of nature. Summer, at the opposite end of the axis, is the time for being more outgoing and engaging in vigorous activity. Winter is a time for introspection and personal reflection. This is a multi-dynamic approach, working in such realms as diet, cultivation exercises, world view and behavior. In the ancient traditions of Chinese Medicine, a primary way to maintain health and longevity is to attune and adapt to the changes of the seasons. This is a time to begin replanting our roots in the Earth and once again become a part of it. Engaging nature-based traditions reveals a pathway to healing, as much of the work has already been accomplished by our ancestors and the courageous indigenous peoples who have kept the light burning. What I’ve learned is quite obvious: We’ve utterly lost contact with nature and the natural way of things. I’ve been privy to an ancient, and still excitingly novel, way of being in the world that provides remarkable hope. The Winter Solstice is an opportunity to come together and restore our connection with nature.Īs a Chinese Medicine practitioner trained in the Five Element tradition, I have been granted tremendous opportunities to study with indigenous healers and wisdom keepers from around the world. Unless we figure out how to heal our broken relationship with the Earth, our species could be facing extinction. The stakes are becoming increasingly grave the recent Fukushima crisis and its potential deleterious effect on the world at large and the Pacific Ocean. As we collectively face the devastating impact our modern commercial-industrial-capitalist culture has had on our natural environment, out of necessity we can again engage in a way of seeing the world that positions humanity in harmony with nature, rather than as its dominator and ruthless exploiter. We may be surprised that our present sophisticated culture can learn something from what we often deem the stuff of mysticism and superstition. There has been a gradual cultural movement away from traditions that honored our place in nature to a modern materialist, secular version of culture where those traditions are often completely forgotten. We’ve lost touch with how to embrace and embody the spirit of the seasons. In modern times, the Winter Solstice is nothing more than a marker for the beginning of the winter season, a season often anticipated with much dread. “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” ~ Edith Sitwell
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