February Moon Cycle begins with today's new moon

 It's so gray out today-this 23rd day of January.  10 days until the groundhog has a chance to see his shadow--or not!  Regardless we will have many more gray days to get through before the spring sun dominates our Midwest sky.  Maybe it's not surprising gray is the color associated with the February moon cycle which begins today. It kind of goes with the current landscape! But, gray is also the color that represents neutrality. When we look at the events in our lives, our beliefs, our feelings from a place of neutrality, we are then able to see more possibilities and have more options for creating change. The grayness we experience in these waning winter months can have new meaning for us. We can see it as a reminder to move into a place of neutrality and then be able to see the bigger picture, rather than be sucked into mid-winter depression and despair.

Gray is the perfect background for reflecting all of who we can be and help us to see outside of ourselves more accurately. Try this: Take a gray piece of fabric (or paper), a white piece of fabric (or paper) and a black piece of fabric (or paper) and lay upon each one a colored object (or paper or piece of fabric). You will notice that the colored object has more vibrancy and depth against the gray as in comparison to the white. So it is also in our lives. When we become willing to live in the gray of things, rather than insist on a black and white world, we see things more fully and brilliantly and can also see more possibilities. By learning to come into a place of neutrality, we can release our judgments and embrace the wisdom of discernment. (For those interested in archetypes--discernment is the matured and enlightened aspect of the judge archetype.) The ability to be in the ‘gray zone’ is also the gift of humility, a necessary virtue for having wisdom.

How do we know when we should hibernate or get out and fully embrace where the winds of winter send us?

From the Circle of Self Website  http://www.circleofself.com/MoonCycle.htm
"January’s suggested Aspect/Element is the Element of Nature (Collective Aspect). Depression, despair, and seasonal affective disorder symptoms all raise their difficult heads during this month. It is easy to hunker down and wait for spring to come, and sometimes it is good, healthy and supportive to hibernate during this month. But for some of us, withdrawal and hibernation lead to more self-sabotage and a deepening of addictive behaviors. By taking time to focus on nature, by spending time out in the winter world, committing to care for the birds and other creatures who may need extra support during these months of scarcity of food, we also support ourselves. Focusing on practices that support your emotional health during this cycle has the ability to change historical patterns of winter depression."

How do we know when we should hibernate and withdraw from the world or when we should bundle up and get our selves out in the world?  Or as another option, invite the world into our own?  It's a tough question many of my clients struggle with at this time of year.  For some of us, over indulgence and succumbing to our addictive  tendencies during the holidays, leaves our bodies and minds exhausted and depleted.  If we don't take time to re-group or take some retreat time to get rebalanced, our bodies will often give us a good bout of flu or a bad cold as a way to slow us down.  This happened to me this past week.  I could feel it coming, but I was too stubborn to slow down.  And too emotional to acknowledge to myself  I desperately needed a time-out!

Perhaps the healthiest way is the middle road-plan out a few days to hibernate--no commitments, simple foods, NO LAYING IN FRONT OF THE TV or GETTING HOOKED ON VIDEO GAMES.  NO COUCH POTATO.  In your retreat time do things differently. Allow yourself to sleep.  GO to bed soon after sunset and don't set the alarm.  Wake naturally.  Indulge in a morning beverage and connect with the morning world of nature, even if it's just through the window.

Make a plan to do a winter hike.  Even a short one.  One of the most magical times to do this as at twilight.  The winter sky is beautiful in January, the sunsets are miraculous.

Finally, plan a celebratory meal with close friends.  It needn't be stressful or fancy.  Only invite those friends who can accept a not so perfect house and who are willing to help with some clean up afterward.  Celebrate each other.  Celebrate the gift of human life.  Celebrate possibilities. But mostly, just be with one another.  Be gentle with one another and enjoy community.