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Many sensitives suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and at this time of year can become depressive or anxious.
This period in the year is symbolic of a retreat into the self and a time when we are most likely to hibernate much like many animals that follow their natural cycles. It is a useful stage of the year to review what we have accomplished and been through in the more active months throughtout spring and summer. We are allowed a process of healing and the earth encourages a much slower and tranquil pace. As we embark on the darker days and longer evenings we receive less daylight and this has serious repurcusions for many individuals. One of the main problems it seems currently is that as a global society we no longer change our daily lives and schedules in relation to the cycles of the seasons. This puts large amounts of pressure on us as we are unable to move into the more natural slower energies that are required to help and assist us at this time of year.
When we look backwards in history we find eras where the seasons were honoured and people's relationship to the earth and Gaia's changes were worked with in unison as opposed to ignored. A few hundred years ago the world was less available and people were dependant on natural light and suitable weather to go about their business, today we have artifical light, electricity and all numbers of technology that does not have to interfer with our productivity. But have we ever thought to ask whether this is a healthy or positive progression?
Today a vast number of people work in offices and buildings from very earlier in the morning and finshing once it is dark. These indivduals are receiving very little natural daylight and furthermore, if we imgaine that these individuals don't take a lunch break outside, there may have been little, if any expose to light at all in one day! This factor is going to have an affect on the health and optimisim of the individual, especially if this behaviour remains for three months or more.
Many studies and information has been provided about the healing power of the sun and the implications of lack of sunlight. Richard Hobday has written an informative book about the subject.
"The human race evolved under the sun, and for thousands of years lived in harmony with its heat and light. Yet over the last fifty years we have lost this close contact with the sun and its healing powers. We have become afraid of it. However the sun is central to our well being and health." (Richard Hobday - The Healing Sun 1999)
Within Richard's work he also discusses the way in which we have become fearful of the sun and motivated to stay in the shade. There is of course some sense in keeping a healthy balance in terms of sun bathing or exposure to the sun, however deliberately staying out of the rays could actually harm our health more! Sun creams are plentiful these days and you can purchase all arrays of factors, sprays, creams and specialised lotions, but actually how beneficial is it to smother our skin with these chemicals and how much do we know about what our body is absorbing. It could be that moving in and out of the sun regularly with care not to over-heat or burn may be much more healthy than laying in the sun plastered in cream for hours on end, after all sun therapy has been used to heal our bodies for centuries and we can all tell how optimistic we feel from spending even just a few minutes with the light and natural warmth on our face.
Perhaps the lack of light during the winter months and our imbalanced seasonal society has made us stir crazy for as much sun exposure as possible once the first rays come in the summer. There has been a steady increase in skin cancer as demonstrated in the quote below from the statistics offered by Cancer Research UK.
"Over the last thirty years, the incidence of malignant melanoma has increased more than for any other common cancer in the UK. The male rates have increased more than five times from around 2.5 in 1975 to 14.3 in 2006, while the female rates have more than tripled from 3.9 to 15.4 over the same period in Great Britain."
Another reason for this increase in skin cancer could be related to sun bed use and the pressure for young girls to be a certain shade of brown, so perhaps we need to think about balancing our sun exposure and maybe strive to keep ourselves in the light during the winter months so we don't over do it when summer comes.
The only problem we have with remaining light aware is that we cannot make any gaurantees in terms of the weather and climate for the future as mother earth shifts and shimmys into the higher dimensions and maybe thinking about other ways to lift our inner light is going to become essential to us. How would we all respond to a week or a month without light? What tools can we use to help us through the winter and any journeys we seem to find ourselves in with less light, whether literally or symbolically?
Top Tips - In the winter time, I feel we have two main options, either embrace the benefits of the darkness and cold and give yourself an excuse to hermit away and rest, relax and stop or if this sounds like a nightmare for you do the opposite and make your winter a new an exciting time of year and allow that inner light to vibrate out. Generally using a combination of both should work very well!
Start a new project - Think about getting yourself involved in a new hobby, creative pursuit or if you didn't get round to it in spring, clear out and do some lengthy jobs that will satisfy you when finished! In the longer evenings we are inside more and continual television is not the most healthy option. How about getting all those photos in albums, writing a journal or even a book. Trying out some new recipes, making a vision board, learning a new language or a new skill.
Exercise - More exercise will help you to keep full of energy and will move the endorphines around despite the darkness outside. Often we feel we should stop exercising more in the winter but if you are getting stuck in a rut then move!!!
Don't Forget Nature - It seems we spend less time in nature in the winter but as long as you have a warm coat, visting the beach or woods is very beautiful in the winter and is great as often you get it to yourself with a lack of people around.
Try a different approach to Christmas - If you find Christmas a tough time or if you get slightly stressed then mix it up, who says it always has to be done the same way. Use your integrity at this time of year. This can be hard as family pressures are likely to be higher but it is a great time to learn those lessons and use some positive thinking to change any patterns of behaviour or thinkning that no longer serve you. Embracing others around you at this time of year and being kind to everyone you meet can lift you and give you great purpose.
Socialise - Don't stay in if you are getting cabin fever, arrange to be with people. Being indoors with others can be more fun if you get lonely at this time of year. Cook some food together or go out to eat. Maybe think about trying a new group or local club with a subject that interests you.
Eat light filled foods - We have a tendancy to desire very heavy foods and maybe sugary ones too in the winter due to the darkness. However lighter foods give us more light and a lighter frequency. Raw foods and fresh vegtables and fruits are great at uplifting us.
Enjoy the chance to hibernate - Just let go, put on a positive movie or pick a great spiritual book and snuggle up with a blanket and a warm herbie and enjoy this time to rest more than you have done in the previous months. Maybe you could build a longer meditation structure or think of all those pampering treats you have been meaning to do for yourself.
Stay positive and Imagine the Inner Light - You always have light inside you, at any time you can visualse the light that shines from your solar plexus and magnify this to move around your body and aura. Using affirmations and visioning your future can help to keep you focused during this time! Check you light daily and ask yourself "how much inner light am I holding?" and if you feel, hear, see or know it is low work out what positive action you need to take to raise your light vibration! Have fun keeping that light-o-metre high!
Here are some related websites that may be of use for further research on the topic:
http://www.thehealingsun.org/index.html
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
http://www.sada.org.uk/ Seasonal Affective Disorder Association
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