The Rhythm of the Season

As the year draws to a close, and as we arrive at our final Teachings Tuesday of the year, I find myself moving more slowly. Intentionally. With care.

Slowing down feels like a value worth upholding right now. Not as an idea, but as a practice. One that asks us to listen more closely, to resist urgency, and to honour what this season is offering.

For the first time in my life, I have been paying close attention to my body in a way that feels a bit unfamiliar. When it asks me to rest, I listen. Some days, that has meant midday naps. Real rest in the middle of the day, without guilt or justification. Letting myself soften instead of push. Letting rest be enough.

It was in sitting with this tension that a teaching from Candice George of of Stz'uminus First Nation resurfaced for me, one that continues to offer clarity:

“Solstice is about rest. It’s about healing. Our people live in rhythm with nature. This is the time to rest, to take care of yourself. Rest is part of the rhythm, the foundation that allows us to paddle forward when the time comes.”

Those words feel like permission.

They remind me that rest is not a pause from life, but part of its cycle. That slowing down is not falling behind, but aligning ourselves with rhythms far older and wiser than productivity calendars or seasonal expectations.

In an effort to truly uphold these teachings around rest and the Winter Solstice, I will be taking the next two weeks off from publishing Teachings Tuesdays. This pause feels aligned with what I am learning, and with the value of letting rest be visible and lived, not just spoken about.

I will be slowing down and savouring this time with my children and loved ones. Allowing space for quiet, connection, and renewal.

As we step out of this year and into what comes next, I am holding this teaching close. Trusting my body. Honouring the season. Remembering that rest is not something to feel guilty for. It is something to listen to.

I extend Winter Solstice blessings to all of our readers. May this season offer you moments of stillness, warmth, and care. May you move at the pace your body is asking. May you rest, knowing that when it is time to paddle forward, you will do so with strength.

With gratitude,

Kim