Finding Peace in Chaos: A Winter Solstice Reflection
As we approach the end of 2024, with Christmas lights twinkling around us and the winter solstice on the horizon, there's an undeniable pull to look within. Nature itself seems to encourage this introspection. Trees lose their leaves, animals hibernate, and the earth rests under frozen ground. It's as if Mother Earth is taking a deep breath, slowing down, and inviting us to do the same.
Yet, this year, there's another pull occurring. In the wake of a divisive election that has left many angry, confused, and afraid, many people are looking to external sources for answers. There is a desire to argue or reason with "the other” to make sense of the world. It's a natural reaction.
But what if this season's message is to do the opposite? What if instead of striving for answers we learn to turn inward?
Nature shows us that there's wisdom in stillness. The winter solstice, marking the shortest day and the longest night, isn't just about the return of the light; it's about embracing the darkness, understanding it, and finding peace within it.
I experienced an unexpected moment of peace amidst the recent chaos. My mother was in the hospital on November 6. My sister and I were there with her, holding hands, as we watched Kamala Harris give her concession speech. Despite my mother's Alzheimer's, she seemed to connect with the event, and we shared a brief sense of hope, remembering that much has changed in the last few decades. My mom couldn’t have a credit card in the '70s! She couldn’t buy her own house, like I have.
No matter what changes swirl around us, we can breathe through our feelings. We can let go of the masculine energy of doing and embrace the feminine energy of being. This means dropping into our bodies, feeling rather than thinking, in order to just BE.
Rudolf Steiner taught that breathing practices should be approached mindfully, with a balance of awareness and respect for the natural rhythm of the breath. He cautioned against forcing or manipulating breath in unnatural ways, believing that doing so disturbs the connection between the etheric body and the physical body.
The etheric body is what animates the physical body. It’s the bridge between holistic health and spiritual well-being. Through conscious breathing, we engage with this life force at the cellular level, supporting regeneration and vitality.
When we feel forced or manipulated by circumstances beyond our control, we can't react with force or manipulation. Rather, when external chaos reigns, internal peace becomes our sanctuary—and we enter that sanctuary through the breath.
Every inhale represents doing, while every exhale embodies being. The rhythmic balance creates a harmonious flow.
Knowing this, we can use our breath to allow events to unfold without our constant intervention. By doing so, we aren't being complacent or uncaring; we're choosing wisdom over worry. This approach cultivates a deeper understanding of our inner spirit. It might even allow us to see solutions or paths obscured by our mental noise.
Sometimes, the most profound action we can take is simply breathing and being. By not reacting immediately, we gain perspective. In this space of calm, we find that understanding, compassion, and perhaps even solutions, emerge more naturally than when we're caught in the storm of external events.
"Peace is not something you wish for; it's something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away."- Robert Fulghum