Faith Carols Guide to Winter Thriving
The sun rising over the mountains, but we are low to the ground. Image by Denys Nevozhai
I’m in resistance to winter.
Its winter outside my house, but inside these walls I am doing my damnedest to soak up the sun, immerse myself in warm water, and avoid the weather.
This is an old story. I’ve never been a fan of winter. I got Raynauds syndrome the winter of 03, and let me tell you, losing circulation is incredibly painful, and you will avoid anything that causes it at all costs. Raynauds is triggered by the cold and wet. So I’m never going sledding, ya dig? And then there is the mind boggling depression. My brains capacity to filter reality corrodes and hardens, till all that comes through is misery. My physical pain gets worse. But my mind, thats the worst of all. The diagnosis SAD (seasonal affective disorder) barely covers it. I am Demeter, searching the barren earth for all I held precious. I am alone in a silent world.
When I was dreaming of leaving NY at 23 I thought I’d end up somewhere…warm. Like New Orleans. or Hawaii. I ended up in Portland. Well that’s okay, I thought, its warmer then NY. And honestly, I really loved the temperate rain forest. I could survive the grey as long as I could keep the green. I could survive the wet as long as there was less cold. And I learned a lot of self care. I learned that water therapy was essential for my mental health. I took my supplements. I got a SAD lamp. I drank a lot of wine. Except the wine drinking, I still do all these things devotedly.
Getting through isn’t the same as loving it. I tried. Sometimes I can do it. I appreciate the stillness after it snows. I love the strange shapes of the trees without their cloaks of leaves. Honestly, I like when it gets dark early. Darkness is creative, gestative, nourishing time for me. And there are no sunsets like winter sunsets. A whole sky of rosy lavender and hot pink.
I’ve learned to deal with it. I’ve got warm coats and gloves and boots. But its my relationship with the spirits and my creative work that gets me through the winter now. Its letting myself die and be reborn. Its giving myself space to allow for what the darkness and cold want to teach me, instead of denying it. I’m in resistance to winter as a season (I ONLY go outside if I have to, Lol), but no longer as a process. I embrace the death as teacher and friend, and I let myself sink down. I let myself cry. Alot. Like whatever your thinking, add a lot to it.
There is more to say about Winter. I wrote a whole paper about it in Graduate school, which maybe I will share here one day. Needless to say, if I can thrive in winter, I really think its possible for everyone. I’m not saying it won’t be hard. But hard things are part of this existence. Saturn rules material reality. The phsyicality of it all creates hardness. This is why we come here. Our souls want to learn these intense lessons. But our relationship to the hardness of it all? There is so much space there for transformation and change.
This blog post for others who find that winter is the hardest time of year. These are simple and effective tools I have gathered over the last decade. There are many other beautiful techniques to try, but these are ones I know work, as they have worked for me. I don’t get any money from recommending these to you, its just the stuff I genuinely use and have come to like. I hope some of it is helpful for you!
My Winter Thriving Toolbox includes: Supplements, Joy Makers, Fire stokers, Connection Builders, Armor, and Purpose.
Supplements
These are supplements I take daily during the winter months to support my mental health, in addition to my regular supplements. As I am not a doctor I will not give amounts. I tend to vary anyway, and usually take what it says on the bottle. Obviously consult your doctor and all that jazz.
Fish Oil
Vitamin D3 - I take the liquid form by Pharma, where one drop equals 1000 iu. I take 1-3 drops a day.
5-htp- Supports the production of serotonin, that handy little neurotransmitter that helps you feel like its worth waking up in the morning even when everything is caked in ice.
L-theanine
St.Johns Wort- This beautiful herbal medicine supports your brain health, bringing the sun to your blood and mind. I take it in tincture form, but have also done capsule, and that was fine too.
Other herbs I consume in the winter are elderberry, tulsi, passionflower, damiana, kava
Fire stokers
I really struggle with the cold part of winter. I just kind of…stop…moving…. It’s really important for me to expose myself to external heat, and to increase my internal heat. It helps me feel more alive, have greater access to my vital life force, and gives me the energy to actually do all the things I have to, if I want to thrive in winter. Here are my favorite methods
Movement - I try and boost my internal heat through 20 mins of gentle movement everyday, and something more vigorous 2-3 times a week. I use dance, hula hooping, Qi Gong, and swimming. I take walks when its nice enough. If I don’t do this depression sets in almost immediately.
Water Therapy - My favorite method of gaining external heat is water therapy. I prefer the hot tub and swimming in a warm pool, but steam and sauna are also gamechangers. Whatever you can get will help. During the 1st winter of the pandemic, when I didn’t have access to the gyms facilities, I took a LOT of baths. If you want the best baths in the world, use epsom salts, get a bath pillow, a bath tray, and a bathtub drain cover. Oh, and candles. duh.
Fire - Having an indoor or outdoor fire in winter is such an amazing way to connect to the vitality of the world and your own heart amidst the darkness and death. I like doing this on sabbaths, equinoxes, or whenever I am needing a clearing, a restart, or just some ceremonial space. I don’t have access to an indoor fire, but a blazing fire will keep you warm outside on even frigid days, as long as you have good boots!
Heated Blankets - As water therapy is not always an option, take a dry bath! I have several heated blankets and heating pads, but my favorite is a Biddeford queen size with ten heat settings that was gifted to me. I wrap myself in it like a cocoon.
Light Therapy - I use a Verilux Happylight. Make sure you work your way up, as it can be disorienting to do long periods of exposure at first. I try to use it everyday, and I really notice a difference between when I do and don’t
Heat stimulating salves- pretty much what it says. Salves with stimulating herbs that you can rub on your feet, hands, and joints. Here is a recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs for one.
Armor
Clothes-You need to have warm clothes that wick away moisture. It really makes a difference. It doesn’t make up for all the other things, but it is amazing with them. You can do plenty of research about this other places. I get warm sweaters from thrift stores and heat tech under layers from Uniqlo. I’m obsessed with Bearpaw sheepskin boots. Its like wearing sleeping bags on your feet. Plus you can decorate them with any leather/suede decorations.
Face Care- I get so dried out during winter, I can’t even tell you. If I shared all the products I used we would be here all day, but here are a few hints. In general, I wait for sales online or at the health food store and get whatever feels good. But these are things I get again and again
I like Derma-E anti wrinkle renewal creme. Its pretty affordable, and I can always find it on sale. I am not anti-wrinkle (in fact I’m pro!), but anti wrinkle stuff tends to be more deeply moisturizing.
For toners and in general, I use k-beauty products, especially ones that have collagen and snail mucin in them.
For serums I like The Ordinary’s Hylauronic Acid. Its really helpful for my dry skin. And Nacific’s Fresh Herb Origin Serum is like putting sunshine on your face.
Hair Care- I use Oi Oil hair products from Davines, and their Nourishing Vegetarian Miracle Conditioner to help my curls not get brittle from the winter cold and all the swimming I do!
Hand Care- My husband and I are obsessed with Handy Gurugu from Lush. He gets cracked fingertips, and when my hands are dry I feel like I can’t breathe (don’t ask) and this makes all those blues just a memory.
Connection Builders
The worst part of winter is feeling like I’ve lost connection to the living world, and thus my own inner self. I facilitate connection through….
Observation walks- Just as they sound. I look at colors. I feel the cold air. I watch squirrels and birds. I notice unusual shapes. I immerse myself in the world. Its so restorative
I watch nature documentaries! I am a nerd!
Meditation- I have a dedicated sitting practice, but that’s not for everyone (and its not for me all the time). Any sort of contemplative practice can do here, movement, photography, writing, drawing, painting, dish washing. Whatever feels like a match.
Journeying to Guides.
Spending time with friends who make me feel uplifted and seen.
I prioritize my creative projects, and uninterrupted creative flow time.
Self reflection- taking time to journal, draw, think, talk with my partner.
Reading mythology, fantasy, and metaphysically and psychologically rich literature. I also read Winter Rose by Patricia Mckillip ever winter. She is my favorite author ever, and the only one whose animist and magical worldview closely mirrors my own innate experience of the magic of the living world. I may or may not own multiple copies of this book.
Joy Makers
You have to have a little joy in your life. I use…
Music! I listen to a lot of music and have frequent impromptu dance parties. Here are links to my SUMMER LONGING and The THEME is SURFING mix, both on Spotify.
Essential Oils. In winter I go with citrus and Fir oils, and occasionally bring in florals like Jasmine and Lilac. My all time winter favorite is Bergamot, but any of the citrus will do. Get the best quality you can afford, and try to go local. Etsy has good options if your local health food store fails you. There is no need to join any ponzi schemes to get beautiful oils, I promise.
Purpose
I do much better with the existential drift when I have a purpose. I tend to schedule big things in winter for myself, or attempt to accomplish significant goals. I try to balance the focused accomplishment driven time with rest, relaxation, and play. This section will be different for everybody, but here are examples…
Take a class!
Sign up for anything that has a deadline. It will help focus you, and keep you aligned with what you care about.
Subscribe to Masterclass or something similar for the winter months
In the past I’ve signed up for winter craft fairs and writing goal workshops
I often schedule the classes that I teach in Winter, to put the pressure on so I feel a purpose!
