Teachings from the Natural World: Permission to Winter

Winter is a time that often brings fret and sadness to many, shifts in mood and energy that challenge function. Some may know this as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more generally coined “Seasonal Depression.” While SAD can render extremely troublesome symptoms of depression with real barriers to participation in daily activities, a shift in perspective might be opportune. Nature this time of year exemplifies the necessity of death, rest, and scarcity. These are natural factors of living that hustle culture often tries to oppose.