How to Not Be a Victim This Winter
From Reyjkavík to Chicago: notes on the upward spiral.
Happy November, everyone. As I’m writing this,1 it’s snowing and below-freezing in Chicago. I admit that, while jarring at first, the cold is actually quite invigorating; a kind of seasonal wake-up call…
In the northern hemisphere, there’s a lot of programming around this time of year — not only in terms of the holiday commotion and its attending baggage, but also around the art of maintaining a baseline level of mental and physical wellness amidst seasonal changes (and, for many, a mostly indoor lifestyle). Mainstream health advice pushes vitamin D, cold plunges, sometimes even SSRIs. Circadian experts insist we watch the sunrise and sunset religiously — which, while aspirational, isn’t always realistic.
I originally planned for this to be a simple “survival guide,” an expanded version of a Twitter thread I wrote a few years back.2 But, after speaking with friend of the letter, Erla Sól — who lives in Reyjkavík, one of the world’s northernmost cities — I began to rethink things.
So, this guide will be more of a series…
First, we’ll hear from Erla on her approach to winter in Iceland and her take on the circadian conversation.
Next, I’ll walk you through some of my seasonal “hacks” and essentials — everything from hydration to micro-dosing the sun bed (a trick I learned from a former friend-of-the-letter, who swore by it for her eczema).
Above all, Health Gossip is a place for differing opinions. I hope this inspires you to be present in whatever journey this season is inviting you on.
Erla Sól on winter in Iceland
“If we remember our Buddha nature, we remember that we are nature and there is no separation from nature even when we are inside.”
Erla Sól is an herbalist and healing arts practitioner living in Reykjavík. She runs the spiritual community, Soul Sanctuary and (spoiler) will be a guest on the newsletter very soon.
Note: The following conversation was conducted over text and edited for clarity.
What are your views on circadian rhythms and winter biohacking?
With the dramatic climate and sporadic weather patterns amidst absurd changes in light every day — living in utmost yin + yang — I feel so numb to the topic of circadian rhythms and sunlight. Almost as if it literally doesn’t apply to us here. Yes, we would ideally slow down and descend into deeper yin flow, but don’t really. People tend to work really hard in the winter and enter Winter Arc. But in summer, when we have zero darkness, we definitely attune to major yang and become hyperactive.
Are there any specific practices that you incorporate in the winter?
My way is lots of candles in the winter and cultivating our own inner flame, building heat from within, radiating out from the Hara as we bridge a deeper bond with nature and Shen spirit.
What I don’t “buy into” is the idea that we have to have certain glasses and lamps and gadgets, and that we have to see the sunrise and sunset first thing every day. That’s very hard to abide by for most of the year.
What would you say to those whose moods and energy levels get very affected by the darkness of winter?
[There’s] so much I could say around the seasons and the importance of having an upward spiral mindset.
Not feeling like a victim to the weather patterns and seasonal shifts but rather feeling a sense of humility and gratitude to the experience of being transmuted and transformed by the consciousness of nature.
To be thankful for the opportunity to evolve and move with the patterns of nature, rather than fighting them or blaming nature for our downfalls.
Acknowledging that the highest intelligence comes from living according to the Way of Heaven and Earth in full surrender through the resonance of the heart.
Allowing the spirits of the elements to move us and expand our awareness in an upward spiral throughout the course of our lives. Inviting them all the way in and letting these energies of change course through our lives and elevate our souls…
I think people get sick and depressed in the winter when they agree unconsciously or consciously to the narrative that S.A.D. is something that we all experience; that lack of sun is something to fear.
How does your spiritual practice fit into this conversation?
If we remember our Buddha nature, we remember that we are nature and there is no separation from nature even when we are inside. We are the earth and the only thing we need to ground ourselves in nature is to be present and in our bodies, connected with our hearts.
I think we really psych ourselves out when it comes to weather and the seasons. We are of the earth, have always been, and our work is to continue deepening into relationship with our bodies and the earth as consciousness on the planet rises.
We can acknowledge that our ancestors endured these hardships. We can handle it and we have the tools in our cellular memory and inner knowing to navigate the rhythms of nature with grace.
(Earlier this week.)
My 2021 tips included going to the gym right at sunset (so the sun would be down at a reasonable hour once you left) and embracing the cold (cold exposure can be a mood, energy, and immune system booster; it’s also an aphrodisiac).
Love this! winter is opportunity. "Upward spiral mindset " wow. <3
This is really helpful for me. I am a chronic winter victim!!