Lessons From a Garlic Clove

I finally got my garlic planted this week. Planting it in the fall gives the garlic time to establish strong roots before the weather turns cold. The buried cloves chill and strengthen in the dark earth over winter, gathering power to push vivid green sprouts up toward the sun in early spring. What a great lesson for us, too, as we enter the shorter, colder days of winter.

We learn to be in the moment in Qigong, but sometimes, like gardeners, it’s good to think ahead. For instance, maybe you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or winter blues. Short, dark days mess with our circadian rhythms and can lead to sleep problems, digestive problems, and general grumpiness. We can mitigate or even avoid this with a simple daily practice from the Wudang temple in Northern China: Each morning, as early as you can, take a few minutes to face the morning sun, either outside or through a window. Close your eyes and let the sun shine on your mid-forehead. Feel its light and warmth penetrate deep into your brain. Practice daily and, by next month or even sooner, you’ll notice a big difference in your energy.

Another way to prepare now for the winter ahead is to focus on an exercise you enjoy, one that always helps you feel more flexible, relaxed, and energized. Then, practice it throughout the day, whenever you need it.  This can be as simple as doing three “Stress Cleansing Breaths”, or a few rounds of “Squeezing the Sponge” (aka “Spinal Chord Breathing”). Building this into a daily habit will help keep stiffness and stagnation at bay as the days grow colder and shorter.  

Perhaps garlic’s biggest lesson to us is to learn to appreciate this time of seasonal darkness. Like bulbs planted in the earth, the priceless Yin energy of rest, consolidation, and renewal is elusive to many of us, but holds equal power to the Yang energy of growth, action, and production. Why not use this season to cultivate your ability to chill out and relax? This may be unfamiliar to you, or even feel kind of wrong, but it will give you the nourishing “oomph” you need to blossom forth when the time is right.