Give your woes to the woods.
When the garden rests, it's time to tend the gardener. Just like raising plants, sometimes it's obvious what's needed (feeding time, anyone?), and sometimes it's a puzzle to tease out what's wrong. When I'm in the latter state, I have found that one of the best all-purpose solutions is getting myself into the woods. Perhaps it's the sound of the wind moving through the treetops, perhaps it's the quality of the air amongst such mighty plants-- whatever the medicine, it surely works.
It can be nice to do a vigorous hike, but most days I'm there to amble and take in the sights around me. I enjoy going alone and going with other people. One of the bonuses of going with a companion is drawing each other's attention to what we observe. Some see mushrooms readily, others notice rocks. When alone, there is an opportunity for inner looking as well. Little clears my head as well as a walk in the woods when the air is crisp and no one is asking me to verbalize my thoughts. Often that's when the true observations come through.
In the shorter days of winter, it can be a challenge to find the time to be outside. I don't mean simply going outside, as one would do to take out the recycling or take one's daily commute. I mean that time of existing outdoors in a state of undemanding observance. Noticing what's around oneself. Seeing how the passage of time brings changes to the plant world. Letting the vitamin D soak in. This one can be especially helpful if you suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder.
If you don't have access to the woods, remember there are little patches of nature all around us. Local parks are a good place to start, or you may have to get creative and reframe what you're looking for. Maybe you're relegated to the trees on your street, or the shrubbery outside your workplace. A little can go a long way, especially when noticing one plant leads your eye to the next, and the next, the sturdy sidewalk dandelion, the stubborn dock in the ditch. Each plant has a lesson in finding a way to live, even if it can't cleanse you in the same way a forest bath can do.
I hope you find yourself out in nature soon, one more living thing just trying to make it through the day. Let's help each other along and tend to each other as the new year comes around the bend.
Blessed rest unto you, and happy holidays,
Meg