The Winter Vortex

Winter is not my favorite time of year. I used to think I could live in the Northwest, but now know that I NEED sunlight.  When my God of the Sun perpetually hides in the clouds, I start to spiral down into a vortex of melancholy.

As everyone around me gets ramped up & excited about the December holidays, I start to experience:

• Afternoon slumps with decreased energy and concentration
• Carbohydrate cravings
• Decreased interest in work or other activities
• Increased appetite with weight gain
• Increased sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness
• Lack of energy
• Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
• Social withdrawal

Recognize any of these?  They are the classic signs of S.A.D., or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  While my S.A.D. is mild & undiagnosed, it still exists & is often accompanied by:

• An obsessive need to strangle anyone singing Christmas carols
• The desire to smack the crap out of those well-meaning bell ringers
• A huge variety of excuses as to why I cannot attend holiday parties
• An absolute refusal to decorate my home with an embellished tree
• A general inclination towards misbehavior 

Personally, I think the last "issue" (inclination towards misbehavior) is probably the one I need to nurture.

Or, maybe Winter is the time I need to slow down, focus on home, sit quietly & meditate.

 

What if all this angst is because my major totem animals are gone this time of the year?

Hummingbird

Butterfly

Dragonfly

Perhaps it's time to focus on some of my other totem animals:

Jaguar

Wolf

Maybe the meditations of the week will be - "What would Jaguar do?" & "What would Wolf do?"

Off to meditation land!

Wild & Bright (ok, a bit dull) Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

    )O(