Honoring Winter: A Season for Rest and Reflection

Embracing Shadow Work and Reclaiming Ancestral Rhythms

As we step into a new Gregorian year, let’s take a moment to honor the wisdom of nature. This is not the time for new beginnings. Despite the cultural narrative urging us to set resolutions and leap into action, nature invites us to pause, reflect, and rest.

Winter is the season of stillness, a time when the earth takes a deep breath and settles into rest. This natural stillness mirrors our own need to pause and reconnect with ourselves. By aligning with this rhythm, we allow space for personal growth, deep healing, and clarity to emerge—qualities that are often overlooked in the busyness of life. Observing nature’s cycles reminds us that rest is not idleness but a vital foundation for renewal and transformation. Seeds lie dormant beneath the soil, trees shed their leaves to conserve energy, and the cold slows everything to a meditative pace. This is the rhythm of life, and we are not separate from it.

Shifting into these natural cycles is a deeply decolonial act. Supremacy culture has severed us from the earth and from ourselves, imposing relentless productivity and control over natural rhythms. By choosing to rest, reflect, and honor the cycles of the earth, we not only liberate ourselves from these systems but also contribute to the liberation of the earth and all living beings. This is a reclamation of our ancestral ways of being—ways that honor interconnection, reciprocity, and respect for the natural world.

I want to encourage you to resist the pull of hustle culture and instead, embrace the rest that this season offers. Reflect on the year that has passed, tend to your inner world by exploring your emotions, acknowledging unspoken fears, and revisiting your personal narratives, and ask yourself the questions that lead to deeper truths.

Shadow work is the labor of winter—it’s the quiet, internal tending that prepares us for the renewal of spring. This can look like journaling to explore unresolved emotions, meditating on past experiences to identify patterns that no longer serve you, or engaging in practices like breathwork or somatic movement to release stored tension. It’s about sitting with discomfort, asking hard questions, and allowing yourself the grace to process without judgment.

Here are some reflective questions to guide you through this season:

• What stories about myself am I ready to rewrite?

• What part of me have I been avoiding that now needs my attention?

• What does rest look like when it’s rooted in liberation and not productivity?

• Where have I been seeking validation externally, and how can I cultivate that within?

• What lessons has the darkness taught me about my light?

• Who am I without the roles I’ve taken on?

• What would forgiveness, both for myself and others, feel like if it was truly unconditional?

• Is that what really happened or who the person is... or is that the story I told myself?

• Am I doing this for love or from love?

• What parts of myself have I outgrown, and how can I release them with gratitude?

Use these questions to journal, meditate, or simply hold space for yourself to feel into the answers. Let this be a time of deep care for your soul, a time to rest and recalibrate. Consider creating a daily ritual such as journaling three things you are releasing and three things you are inviting in. Pair this with a meditative exercise, like deep breathing or a body scan, to ground yourself in the present. Allow yourself moments of stillness to simply observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment, nurturing a deeper connection with yourself.

For those seeking guidance and support in this process, I’m offering a Seasonal Liberation Circle through Patreon. This intimate space is designed to hold you through the deep work of winter—shadow work, reflection, and intentional rest. Together, we’ll explore these questions, share insights, and build a foundation for renewal in the spring.

Membership is intentionally limited to just 25 people to ensure deep connection and meaningful engagement, the cost is $150 per month.

By joining, you’ll gain access to:

• Weekly reflections and prompts tailored to the season’s themes.

• Bi-weekly healing circles to unpack lessons and foster connection.

• Seasonal resources including curated rituals, meditations, and tools for grounding.

• A private, supportive community to share your journey and insights.

This offering is a way to honor yourself, align with the rhythm of the season, and prepare for the growth and new energy that spring will bring. For those unable to join, the Make Shi(f)t Happen Facebook community remains open as a free space to access resources and engage in discussions.

The fun and the newness will come in March, as the earth begins to renew and awaken. March marks the transition into spring, a season synonymous with rebirth and growth. Just as the earth bursts forth with life, shedding the stillness of winter, we too are given an opportunity to embrace fresh starts and new energy. This alignment with nature’s cycles reminds us that renewal is most powerful when it follows a period of rest and reflection. When nature is ready to bloom, so too shall we.

For now, let’s honor the cycles of rest and renewal. Lean into the quiet. Surrender to the stillness. Allow yourself the grace to simply be.

In solidarity and liberation,
Desireé B. Stephens
Educator | Counselor | Community Builder
Founder, Make Shi(f)t Happen