Waning light and winter blues

Hello friend,

I hope you are basking in your own light as the sunshine shrinks back. I’ve always had a mixed relationship with the shortening days. On the one hand, it brings up feelings of anxiety because my Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) usually kicks in around November. On the other hand, though, I love waking up to meditate and journal while it’s still dark out; it really supports my intention of turning in and being introspective.

I’ve tried a few different things to manage my SAD over the years, and it turns out that some of the simplest things have proven to be the most effective—keeping my light therapy lamp close most of the day, consciously underbooking myself each November, reminding myself an infinite number of times to be kind to myself (which can very well mean letting myself binge kdramas and ice cream), or just trusting that it will pass and using my mindfulness to watch the ebbs and flows of it. The truth is, when I’m not mindful, the SAD can feel like a heavy block that will never go away, when in reality it’s not actually solid nor permanent.

I’ve been grateful for the folks who are willing to share their own rituals and practices for warding off the winter blues. I’ve shared some of them below. You’ll also find information on some of my upcoming classes and retreats, as well as a link to a meditation to foster mindfulness in your daily routine, a tool I’ve found especially helpful at this time of year.

May you navigate your November with ease and kindness, friends.

Dawned on me.

As a verb, dawn can mean "become clear" or “enter one's consciousness or emotions.” It’s in this spirit that I share with you some of the things that help me get clear in various ways. May it be the same for you, too.

Find.
What is the Third Place?
Patricia Mou writes about the concept of Third Places and what their future has in store. A Third Place is “a public space that is not your home or work that can offer respite from your daily routine.” This past year I’ve mostly had one space, but I’m making more of an effort to people watch and read at nearby cafés.

Laugh.
Is Mercury in Retrograde?
Lately I’ve been experiencing some serious tech dukkha (battery dying, external hard drive crashing) and wondering how much my Seasonal Affective Disorder is affecting how I view things and how much can be blamed on Mercury being in retrograde. This really is just good for a laugh and a reminder to not take things too seriously.

Ground.
How to Actually Increase our Attention Spans
Everything feels as if it is designed to distract us. I keep having to remind myself to stay focused and to take in more than just a set number of characters or a short video (video shorts are now a "thing"). This article lists a few simple ways one can increase their attention span. Try to get through the whole article without getting distracted!

Discover.
11 Artists Share the Bedtime Rituals that Keep Them Creative
September had me yearning for more structure. Perhaps not surprisingly, the structure I’ve found has come with a boost in my creativity. As a lover of rituals, too, I really enjoyed discovering the bedtime rituals that keep these 11 artists creative.

Watch.
A Very Dramatic Plant
If, like me, the shorter days have you feeling dramatic, you might just need what this plant needed - some water :p

Gratitude to Jocelyn Glei for inspiring this new section of my newsletter. Link appreciation: Skillshare, Recommendo, The Good Trade.

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