Winter 2026

By Sharon Crowell

It has been four days since snow and ice blanketed much of the country, including the Washington DC area where I live.  The past few days have felt like a revisiting of the pandemic along with the movie Groundhog Day.   Staying at home, each morning being disappointed that the snow and ice and lack of plow remain.  The beauty and softness of the snow now giving rise to frustration rather than appreciation of the invitation to stillness.  Fear and anxiety that I can’t “get out” rather than understanding that I have everything I need right here at home, at least for the short term.  Feeling a bit uncomfortable that, really, there is nothing I can “do,” while finding it difficult to just “be” with a book and a cup of tea.

Ahhh … the essence of Winter Energy as described in classic Chinese Medicine texts.  Five Element Theory reminds us of Winter’s gifts, which include the ability to rest, regroup, and restore.  An invitation to be quiet, free from distraction, and to thereby connect with our deepest self, becoming reacquainted with our innate wisdom and perhaps renewing our inner knowing that all will be well and a return to warmth, sunshine, and activity will arrive in the proper time.

The ancient Chinese did not have that luxury.   Winter was a fearful time – do I have enough resources (food, wood for the fire, etc.) to see me through?  Will the sun ever return?  What if I can’t make it through this dark and cold time in my life?   Do I have faith that my inner and external resources will see me out of the abyss?  The two organ systems associated with the winter season are the Bladder (a storage vessel) and the Kidneys.  The Spirit Points on the Kidney meridian include names like “storehouse” and of course the adrenal glands, impacting our stress response, sit on top of the Kidneys.   So even though my specific situation would be incomprehensible to the ancient Chinese, they would understand the corresponding thoughts and emotions and developed a beautiful system of medicine to support health during this time. 

The whole idea of resources has been very present for me during this time.  My two local support people have both been unavailable – my husband very ill and my neighbor out of the country.  I have had to dig deep (literally and figuratively) to discover ways to respond to this winter’s unique demands.  And I have done it.  And I have also spent hours lying on a heating pad and reading.  And sometimes I have just sat and stared into space.  The knowing that has come bubbling up for me is that some changes are needed, as both the internal and external circumstances around my winters have changed.  Now is not the time for planning those changes.  Rather, I will settle into whatever remains of this winter season with the faith and confidence that changes will be made, allowing me to more deeply appreciate next winter’s gifts.