“So let this winter
of listening
be enough
for the new life
I must call my own.“
David Whyte – The Winter of Listening
February,
the midpoint between winter and spring. We have been feeling our way through cold and darkness. Day by day, the light slowly increases, feeding our longing for a warmer season ahead. We are dreaming of sunny skies, open windows, and the scents of spring.
The dark and cold season moves slowly. It is only natural for our human nature to become stir-crazy at some point. In a world hellbent on doing and moving non-stop, the slow pace of winter can seem unproductive.
We know better.
We know that winter gifts us time to rest, be fully present with ourselves, listen, evaluate what works and what doesn’t, and set the groundwork for what comes next.
While we slow down and lay fallow like our garden outside … our energy, sense of well-being, and creativity gradually become restored. We meet ourselves where we are and have honest conversations about the past, the present, how we have changed, and how to chart a course forward.
We are always in a state of becoming, after all.
February brings us closer to winter’s end. We begin to dream of breaking ground and sowing seedlings. Small life signs will begin to appear soon, but the ground is still frozen, and there will be more storms, some unexpected. We cannot let ourselves be fooled into planting our seeds too early and make habitual choices. We are not who we were two years ago. We have changed in ways we would have never imagined and, we will continue to change.
Change is the journey we embark on the day we are born. We are always in the state of becoming.
We want to take our time and think carefully, look for the signs of inspiration and encouragement, and notice the thresholds beckoning us. Our course of action will be decided by the person we are, not the person we were.
Last month, we examined getting in rhythm with ourselves, preparing to travel with reverence, and aiming for simplicity. This month, we will open up to receiving … flashes of inspiration, jolts of energy, clues, opportunities, our new life.
Join me for
“The Way We Travel”
Monday, February 7
07:00– 8:30 PM EST
via Zoom
$25
Payment accepted via
Venmo @Yota-Schneider or PayPal.
Come as you are, bring your dilemmas, questions, and challenges. Prepare by choosing a quiet space with a comfortable chair, a pillow, and whatever helps you feel warm and cozy. Plan for quiet, uninterrupted time – about 90 minutes. Make a cup of your favorite tea, have a glass of water nearby, your journal, drawing pad, and pencils nearby. Light a candle.
As always, you are invited to join our meditation circle on Mondays @ 09:00 AM EST for a 40-minute session that includes a short reading based on the month’s topic, a 20-minute meditation, and a short discussion. Join in whenever you can.
I look forward to sharing space with you.