The Spiritual Meaning of Winter: A Slow Living Guide to the Season

Winter has settled over the land. I can feel it in the stillness of the woods and see it in the brown fields. It’s such a tender time of the year, when nature falls into a deep, restful sleep, gathering energy for a new start in spring.

Many dread winter as a season of cold and darkness, but today I invite you to embrace these things. They are part of the timeless cycle of the seasons and, just like the warmth and sunshine of summer, are essential for nature to go on. Like day and night or fire and water, the seasons balance each other, each carrying its own purpose and wisdom.

Nothing blooms all year round and without a period of rest in winter there would be no growth in spring and no harvest in autumn. This is true for us humans too. We’re not meant to hustle and work at the same pace all year round -  that only leads to burnout and a lack of life satisfaction. Embracing winter rest can take you off the hamster wheel and leave you feeling far more energetic and optimistic when spring arrives.

What Winter Is Not About

Winter is not just about Christmas / Yule / solstice celebrations. These are important both from a sociological point of view and for our hearts, as they bring us joy during the hardest part of the year. Archaeologists suggest that midwinter feasts were held as far back as 4,500–5,000 years ago near the Stonehenge circle, so in fact our modern traditions repeat what our genes have already known for thousands of years.

But once the Christmas lights are taken down and the carols stop, it’s important to return to the quiet stillness of the season, embracing rest for both body and mind.

A quick glimpse of Stonehenge, captured from the car. I just love how in the UK you can pass Neolithic monuments on your way to the supermarket for your weekly shopping :D

Embracing the darkness

In autumn we release and let go. In winter we rest and gather new energy, cocooned in the darkness. All those years ago, when I was first learning about the seasons, I remember reading about a seed that is buried deep in the safety and darkness of the soil. Nothing appears to be happening on the surface, yet within the stillness of the earth, life is slowly preparing for growth. It was the first time I realised how much potential there is in silence and darkness.

Once we pass the winter solstice (more about it below), even though the nights are still long, the light is slowly returning and hope is reborn… Maybe that’s the true beauty of the darkness - that it holds the promise of new beginnings.

Stilness and introspection

When reading comments or having chats with people who struggle in winter, I often sense that what they truly dread is not the cold or the darkness, but stillness. Winter, with its long nights and short days, almost forces us to spend more time indoors and often alone, with our own thoughts.

We live in a world that offers us stimulation at every corner... and in recent years, we don’t even have to leave our sofa to have entertainment at our fingertips. Although in the moment it might feel like fun, if we choose it time and time again, we eventually become desensitised to normal life and struggle to enjoy our everyday.

Even more worrying effect too much scrolling during the winter months has on us: it silences our inner voice and leaves no space for introspection. Winter is traditionally a time of reflection and dreaming about what the future might hold. But if you spend hours of your day scrolling the phone, all that remains in your mind are the wishes and opinions of others.

This winter, embrace the stillness, the quiet. Let your thoughts flow, even if they are uncomfortable, without quickly silencing them with your phone. It's your opportunity to reconnect with inner self, reflect on the year past and dream about what’s ahead.

Dreaming

Winter is a time of dreaming. It’s not time to make solid plans yet - we will do that in early spring. For now, just like a seed buried in the darkness and nourishment of the soil dreams of the flower it will become, you can spend time visualising what the future might look like for you.

This quiet dreaming can help clear the path and make setting spring intentions easier.

Tender Self-Care

Although the cold months are a time of rest and regeneration, it doesn’t mean I encourage you to become a couch potato for the next three months. Gentle self-care rituals like yoga, seasonal treats and teas, cooking warming meals and of course walks in nature will do us a world of good!

My favourite ways of winter self-care:
- Cooking and eating soups
- Apple & cinnamon tea
- Gentle evening yoga
- Walks in nature, spotting birds and winter flowers
- Reading by the fire
- Brightening the darkness with candles and fairy lights
- Repelling the cold with favourite jumpers and a hot water bottle
- Early nights in bed

Little robin I spotted recently near Triscombe Stone in the Quantock Hills.

Seasonal Festivals

In December we celebrate the winter solstice and at the beginning of February - Imbolc. Both are festivals of hope, optimism, and the rebirth of light. It’s beautiful how, in the midst of the coldest, darkest part of the year, we celebrate light when we miss it the most. It shows the hope and trust humans have always had in the natural rhythm, which - without fail, even after the longest and hardest of winters - brings us spring.

Winter Solstice 21 December (Yule)

The longest night and the shortest day of the yearly cycle have been celebrated for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting feasts held near Stonehenge over 4,500 years ago. Our ancestors had no clocks and instead observed the sun and the moon to understand the passage of time. They knew that once the longest night had passed, the light was returning and the days were slowly lengthening. Even though darkness still dominated, the tide had turned.

There is a beautiful myth about the battle between the Oak King, who represents light, growth and the returning sun, and the Holly King, whose domain is night, rest and death. At each solstice, these two kings battle and at the winter solstice the Oak King wins, bringing back the light. He rules until the summer solstice, when sun, warmth and life return to the land.

This battle is not about good versus bad. In fact, some believe (including myself) that the Holly King and the Oak King are brothers or even the same being - two aspects of one force. The myth speaks of balance and the necessity of both light and darkness in our lives.

Simple ways to celebrate the solstice: cook an indulgent meal using seasonal vegetables and warming spices. Go for a nature walk and embrace the peacefulness of the land. Practise sun salutations and light a candle in honour of the sun.

Winter solstice is a time to appreciate how far we’ve come, honour our need to rest, and become comfortable in our own company. It won’t be long before the world begins to awaken, so use these weeks wisely, allowing yourself to gather the strength that will carry you into spring.

Imbolc  1-2 February (Candlemas)

I debated whether to include Imbolc, as it’s considered the first of the spring festivals, but it still borders winter. Despite the early signs of spring, the world around us will remain cold and quiet for a while longer. The common symbols of Imbolc are snowdrops and lambs, with colours of white, silver and green.

Many of you know me as an autumn girl, but Imbolc is my favourite festival. For me the forest just feels different, coming back alive. In early February, even though we are still weeks away from the first leaves or new growth, there is a fresh energy stirring beneath the soil and you can sense change coming. It’s such a hopeful, happy time of the year.

In folklore, the weather on Candlemas is said to predict winter’s end: sunny days mean more winter, while cloudy days suggest winter is fading.

Simple ways to celebrate Imbolc: light a candle - Candlemas is a festival of light in the Christian tradition too. Set intentions and reflect on new beginnings. Plant seeds - real or metaphorical. Begin spring cleaning. Go for mindful walks, spotting the first signs of awakening.

Imbolc marks the ending of winter and the tender beginnings of spring. It inspires us to move from dreaming into planning. As the world is awakening, it’s time for us to begin acting on the things we reflected on during autumn and winter.

A few closing words

Winter is the hardest time of the year, but once you understand that no season is wasted and each has equal value on the wheel of the year, you can begin to meet it with acceptance rather than resistance. Rest, stillness and darkness are not in opposition to growth, action and light, but are simply part of the whole in the cycle of life.

Wishing you a peaceful, restful winter,
Adriana