The winter is a time for stillness and the building of potency on a deep level. Seeds sit under the snow and in the ground, holding their potential, waiting for spring before growing into what they are to become. Since we live in a culture that demands constant activity, we don’t cultivate the capacity to take advantage of the power of stillness. Many dreams and longings live inside us in a deep place, and exist there, half formed, a seed that needs some time to just be, before bursting forth into existence and growth. There are many synchronicities that we notice when we are moving slowly enough, meanings that appear when we take the time to reflect, and directions that emerge when we are not forcing things, but are very much allowing and surrendering to our capacity to be and not do. It is not an easy thing as we have busy lives and long to do list.

We come into this life with a heritage- physical, familial, cultural, tribal, and human and we grow out of that heritage into a unique individual. As we grow, we make choices based on what we know. The quality of our life is often determined by how well we can pay attention to our inner voice, that voice that can only be heard when we are still. We need to discern between what is truly meaningful to us, and what we have accepted as us, but is not truly who we are meant to be. There are appropriate compromises to make so that we can be a part of our family and culture and thrive in our society, but sometimes we neglect aspects of ourselves that are really important and adopt behaviors which don’t serve our highest good, in favor of something that isn’t really meaningful. Sometimes we have deep longings that want to be expressed. Stillness helps us to recognize those more subtle aspects of ourselves, which can be drowned out by louder more assertive forces.

There is much that is unknown about life. Some people are more comfortable with this than others. We don’t want to dwell on the fact that we all will pass on, but, on the other hand, we do want to embrace this fundamental mystery, that life is limited, and use that awareness to cultivate gratitude and appreciation. There are other mysteries also- why certain things happen and not others, the future is one big mystery really. Some people seek to control their lives to such an extent that there is very little mystery left, but even so, events occur that are beyond control and being comfortable with the unknown helps. Others develop strong religious beliefs that offer explanations and comfort. Adopting a set of beliefs that have been developed by others is not for everyone, some folks want a more personal relationship with the unknown.

The unknown, the mystery, the meaning and purpose of life, all of these deep subjects correlate to the Water element and the season of winter. This is the time to sit into what we don’t know or understand, and to become comfortable with that place of unknowing, that place that holds the seed to the future, and the deep connection t our ancestral roots, the place where we have some choice about what seeds we will cultivate and call into fruition. Rather than thinking about things, it calls for imagining and dreaming, to access a deeper place than thought, what would you want if you could have anything, how do you want to feel, what can you celebrate, what can you mourn, what can you let go of, what can you call in, where are you safe. When you attend to these questions from the deep bottom of the ocean where things sit as yet unformed ideas; small, subtle things stir and we move closer to the possibility of being who we are meant to be, the confident, radiant, loving being that we hold deep inside.

The Water Element is our deepest aspect, it is the keeper of mystery and holds our relationship with the unknown. Our longings reside there, our destiny, who we are to become, what we would love to express in the world. It is in the Water element and the winter season that we cultivate the potency to be our best selves.

Come Explore this further in a workshop: The Water Element, Exploring the Depths, Jan 25, 2-4, Dayaalu Center, Bainbridge Island. Register here.