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 rhythmsand 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.
Note: A thank-you gift for you:
To help you gather your energy this November, I am offering each of you who take my weekly online classes one free video of a class of your choice. If a class feels particularly good or helpful to you, write to me that day at cris@criscaivano.com and I will send you a copy to download. It’s a small way to thank you for your help in keeping our Qigong group strong, growing, and supportive for us all!
Schedule for the rest of November:
Millbrook Library Free In-person/Zoom Qigong: This Friday, November 14, 10-11. Please register for this class by contacting Millbrooklibrary.org. This will be the second and last class of the month, as I’ll be having minor hand surgery the following Friday.
Zoom Qigong Class Holiday Schedule: Classes will not be held on November 23, 25, or 27. I will return to teaching on Sunday, November 30.
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Zoom Qigong Classes Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 9:30 am EST
