The mist hung low over the garden this morning, the grass carpeted in a golden scattering of leaves. All day the light is dimmed, covered in a blanket of low, grey cloud, a chill in the air.
As the land slowly slips from the autumn harvest into its deep winter dormancy I also feel as if I am drifting into a half-asleep state.
This winter will hopefully see the safe arrival of our long-awaited second child, and at 33 weeks pregnant my body cannot move quickly. I am being forced into slowness...And I am quite enjoying it!
Often life at this time of year speeds up with events and parties and school plays and festive planning gathering pace in the lead up to Christmas. I love the energy and excitment but most years my family and I arrive at the Christmas holidays depleted.
Yet in the lead up to winter the natural world is shedding all that requires energy and preparing to hide away surfing the dark winter months. I am thinking of the badgers and bears who birth their young in mid-winter hidden deep in their setts and caves, eating as much as they can to prepare for the long torpor or hibernation ahead.
This winter will hopefully see the safe arrival of our long-awaited second child, and at 33 weeks pregnant my body cannot move quickly. I am being forced into slowness...And I am quite enjoying it!
Often life at this time of year speeds up with events and parties and school plays and festive planning gathering pace in the lead up to Christmas. I love the energy and excitment but most years my family and I arrive at the Christmas holidays depleted.
Yet in the lead up to winter the natural world is shedding all that requires energy and preparing to hide away surfing the dark winter months. I am thinking of the badgers and bears who birth their young in mid-winter hidden deep in their setts and caves, eating as much as they can to prepare for the long torpor or hibernation ahead.
I love knowing the Earth turning around the Sun creates the rhythms of the living world. Most living beings have internal biological clocks finely tuned to these celestial rhythms. As the nights lengthen and sunlight and warmth is further away, leaves fall from trees, hedgehogs hibernate - and we humans are affected too:
Deep in the middle of our brains the pineal gland releases melatonin, the sleep hormone, only in the run up to going to bed and through the night but not during the day. If we were living as our ancestors did without artificial blue light pushing us to stay awake later and later, the lengthening nights would signal the pineal gland to release melatonin earlier than in the summer, with studies showing we sleep 15-20 minutes more each night during winter.
Our bodies are telling us we are meant to rest in winter. The urge to slow down is a deep biological circadian rhythm that ties us into relationship with the celestial movement of the Earth around our Sun.
Our ancestors would use this transitional, liminal time to prepare for the winter, gathering in supplies, doing less and bringing in ancestor-honouring rituals and stories around the fire.
This year I, too, have to slow down and prepare. I am under no illusion how hard it is to tend to a newborn and I am doing all I can to protect mine and my family's energy this winter so we can savour the wonder of our newest family member without pressure and rushing as much as possible.
In all honesty, I have wanted to allow myself to slow down and sink down into the dark, cosy nights for many years during winter and it's interesting to notice that it is only with the "excuse" of pregnancy that has led to me gifting myself this space.
This year I, too, have to slow down and prepare. I am under no illusion how hard it is to tend to a newborn and I am doing all I can to protect mine and my family's energy this winter so we can savour the wonder of our newest family member without pressure and rushing as much as possible.
In all honesty, I have wanted to allow myself to slow down and sink down into the dark, cosy nights for many years during winter and it's interesting to notice that it is only with the "excuse" of pregnancy that has led to me gifting myself this space.
Perhaps you feel the same? Maybe you are desperate to wind down as the world rushes ahead?
If so, here's what I have been doing to prepare for my slowest and hopefully most wonder-filled (and likely sleep deprived) winter yet - may it give you inspiration to do the same:
Shedding
I have been letting go of many expectations and activities I usually place upon myself and my family. I have cut down on afterschool clubs and evening activities, simplified my business to a few core offers and a simple marketing plan. For example, this year my family didn't go to a local fireworks event and instead lit a firepit in the garden, drank hot chocolate together and shared sparklers. The space this has brought us all has been so welcome.
If so, here's what I have been doing to prepare for my slowest and hopefully most wonder-filled (and likely sleep deprived) winter yet - may it give you inspiration to do the same:
Shedding
I have been letting go of many expectations and activities I usually place upon myself and my family. I have cut down on afterschool clubs and evening activities, simplified my business to a few core offers and a simple marketing plan. For example, this year my family didn't go to a local fireworks event and instead lit a firepit in the garden, drank hot chocolate together and shared sparklers. The space this has brought us all has been so welcome.
Which commitments could you let go of this season?
Gathering and nesting
I have been busy gathering freezer meal food for the winter (including Christmas dinner) as well as getting simple festive gifts together for loved ones well in advance of my usual last-minute-2-weeks-before-shopping. I have even booked a session for us to go and choose a tree IN ADVANCE! I've slowly been nesting in our home too, getting it ready to welcome a new arrival and allowing myself time to do that. If I am very honest with myself, this is actually all I want to do right now!
Gathering and nesting
I have been busy gathering freezer meal food for the winter (including Christmas dinner) as well as getting simple festive gifts together for loved ones well in advance of my usual last-minute-2-weeks-before-
What can you gather together now to prepare for a slower winter?
Withdrawing
For the first time since COVID, we will be enjoying Christmas at our own home this year without any expectations of hosting. We usually go to family (which I also love as the moments we come together are precious) yet this year we don't know when the baby will arrive so are withdrawing into our cosy home, just the three (maybe four) of us. In many ways I am looking forward to not rushing around in the car in the darkest days of the year. Following the little one's birth we have planned to slowly bring in visitors, starting with our closest family. I want us to relish time together as we cross this transformation in our home life.
Withdrawing
For the first time since COVID, we will be enjoying Christmas at our own home this year without any expectations of hosting. We usually go to family (which I also love as the moments we come together are precious) yet this year we don't know when the baby will arrive so are withdrawing into our cosy home, just the three (maybe four) of us. In many ways I am looking forward to not rushing around in the car in the darkest days of the year. Following the little one's birth we have planned to slowly bring in visitors, starting with our closest family. I want us to relish time together as we cross this transformation in our home life.
How can you plan in time to withdraw when you need to this season?
Being held
“I am held” have been my North Star words for 2026. Held by the Earth, ancestors, family, loved ones, my home. Accepting support can be hard in our individualistic society yet humans are social creatures and always have been - that is how we have survived. This winter, following the birth, I am bringing in support from family, a postpartum doula and the Earth (see 'honouring' below).
Being held
“I am held” have been my North Star words for 2026. Held by the Earth, ancestors, family, loved ones, my home. Accepting support can be hard in our individualistic society yet humans are social creatures and always have been - that is how we have survived. This winter, following the birth, I am bringing in support from family, a postpartum doula and the Earth (see 'honouring' below).
How can you allow yourself to be held by those you love and who love you back this winter?
Honouring
Ritual is becoming a bigger part of my nature connection practice. It feels important to mark this miraculous pregnancy as I have come to realise how deeply blessed I am and what an incredible gift it is: A transition not to be taken for granted but to be honoured. Where I would have seen ritual as an unnecessary indulgence before, this time I will be taking part in a Mother's Blessing with family and friends to mark this new phase of life. Having recently birthed my first drum I am also keen to take it to the freshwater spring near me - the spring that has supported me through the ups and downs of my fertility journey - to give thanks and mark this special time.
Honouring
Ritual is becoming a bigger part of my nature connection practice. It feels important to mark this miraculous pregnancy as I have come to realise how deeply blessed I am and what an incredible gift it is: A transition not to be taken for granted but to be honoured. Where I would have seen ritual as an unnecessary indulgence before, this time I will be taking part in a Mother's Blessing with family and friends to mark this new phase of life. Having recently birthed my first drum I am also keen to take it to the freshwater spring near me - the spring that has supported me through the ups and downs of my fertility journey - to give thanks and mark this special time.
And there are family and daily rituals too to mark this magical season - choosing the Christmas tree together as a family, going stargazing in our back garden, baking the Christmas cake, watching The Nutcracker and marking the Winter Solstice with sparklers and a fire pit.
Which winter rituals can you bring into this season to honour the death/life cycle?
It has taken very intentional effort and stating my needs to get to this point. There will be much I cannot plan or prepare for yet my hope is the space and support will allow me and my family to slow down and sink into this season's wonders.
And who knows, maybe next year I will keep some of these seasonal shifts for me and my family to prepare for a more replenishing winter season…
Do you love the energy leading up to the festive season or are you also wishing you could just nest and slow down?
And who knows, maybe next year I will keep some of these seasonal shifts for me and my family to prepare for a more replenishing winter season…
Do you love the energy leading up to the festive season or are you also wishing you could just nest and slow down?
