This short essay was originally written for the Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) newsletter
Winter months, if you’re anything like me, can be a period of increased sadness, nostalgic and gloomy moods, and, for some people, even expressions of the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), such as depression. Even those living in regions blessed with more sunlight and pleasant weather patterns can feel like their mental, physical, and emotional energy—along with their creative potential—are going into a type of hibernation. While putting a positive spin on everything is not always the best strategy (especially if it borders on false positivity that attempts to obscure the challenging aspects of our life), we are still free to experiment with different techniques for transforming our seasonal fatigue into something meaningful both for ourselves and others.
Whatever the sources of emotional support in periods of natural gloom might be, tenderness towards ourselves—a gentle, affectionate attitude—is always a good red thread to sow different types of care together. In my experience, it is certainly difficult to make it through the demanding winter months without treating myself as someone who deserves happiness, proper gentle care, and a certain degree of slowing down.
Those, of course, are not meant to happen at the expense of others—we are not trying to abandon ethical and social intelligence and merely using the winter blues as an excuse. Rather, this period might invite us to be just a bit more committed to self-care routines, to setting healthy boundaries, and to getting proper rest.
One of the best practices for these periods of blues, in my experience, is loving kindness. In this case, it does not always mean assuming a proper posture and doing loving kindness meditation as a formal session. While important, that might not always be energetically viable, at least not for long hours—who hasn’t struggled with getting onto the cushion when there’s barely energy to move around the apartment?
A more important approach is to let loving kindness suffuse our body and mind in small but significant ways. Wishing ourselves well while getting ready for a nap, or waking up from one, or when we are making yet another cup of tea; extending benevolent wishes to all beings as we observe the snowy landscape outside; soaking in hot water and imagining the waters of loving kindness flowing out to all who live.
When nature goes into hibernation, it shows us the promise of renewal and flourishing—the very flourishing that serves as a perfect reminder for our own potential happiness of being, or eudaemonia. However, there’s also renewal possible in hedonic matters, including our relationships, creative projects, and even our diet. We just don’t need to expect those changes to happen immediately after New Year’s. While the natural world is getting ready for the renewal of spring, we can also let things grow and bloom in their own time—with just a tad of gentle propelling from our side. If that propelling takes the form of a few loving kindness wishes here and there, combined with a little bit of skillful action, that’s good enough. Those wishes themselves will one day evolve into a boundless stream of benevolence renewing ourselves, others, and the world we’re aspiring to serve in small and big waves. When moving around, remember that the people you meet might have low levels of energy—emotionally, mentally, or physically. Some people might be experiencing burnout right now! Generate a wish for everyone’s wellbeing, so that a wave a joy coming from the inside can help everyone feel supported and benevolent.
TIP FOR ON-THE-CUSHION PRACTICE
Consider using gloomier and slower days (or seasons) as an inspiration, rather than a hindrance, for your loving kindness practice. Seasonal fatigue is only one of the multiple ways to label our experience; as an experiment, we can instead think of seasonal lows as a contemplative retreating of energy—a period of rest and germination—and then generate boundless wishes for flourishing, directing them at ourselves and others.
TIP FOR PRACTICING OFF THE CUSHION
When moving around, remember that the people you meet might have low levels of energy—emotionally, mentally, or physically. Some people might be experiencing burnout right now! Generate a wish for everyone’s wellbeing, so that a wave a joy coming from the inside can help everyone feel supported and benevolent.