Winter Meanings
Most people feel that winter is pretty drab. It’s understandable: cold, very little daylight, short days and even longer nights. This season of the year is the time when everyone goes into hibernation. If you look at winter solely through a negative lens, that’s all you will see. If you examine it more specifically, though, you will be able to see that like all other things, winter has its perks (and certainly strong symbolism).
Winter is a season to sit back and think. Think about the past year. Think about what you have achieved and what you had planned. This is also a period to plan for the future. Make new resolutions and focus on the coming season of spring. Plan for Christmas and the associated socializing and festivities.
When we think about season symbolism, we need to remember that winter is just one of the cycles. There will be light once again at the end of this season. Use this period to bring clarity in your life.
Snow Symbolism
Another huge element of winter (at least in most cold places) is snow. This powdery white substance is highly symbolic – purity, calm, reflection, take your pick. Like all seasons, snow is a transitional entity. It falls between water and ice, the edge of liquid and solid. It still has the fluidity of motion, but not compared to its former, unfrozen degree. It is truly incredible what Mother Nature can do with the element of water.
Snow has an inherent softness and gentleness as it flows down from the sky. However, it could also be involved in devastating blizzards. This mirrors human nature and all of the natural world, actually. It is like a yin and yang: a duality that represents the double-folds of existence.
Winter Symbolism
In a way, winter is the most regal of seasons. It commands attention compared to all of the other seasons and takes somewhat of a cutthroat approach: only the strongest and most resourceful survive. Deer, birds, and the other scavengers who use cunning, wit, and patience to get food and stay warm are perfect examples of this.
Regal winter is also incredibly creative, although it might not immediately seem so. What is creative about a white day and a dark night? Think of the beautiful ice crystals that appear on the coldest of days, hanging down from houses, garages, and even plants. Snowflakes themselves are incredibly artistic. After all, they say, like fingerprints, “no two snowflakes are alike”.
When applied to our human lives, the cold usually drives as inward- unless
you are enjoying the fun of winter sports. Being “stuck” inside is the perfect time to immerse yourself in your own creative outlets. With nothing to distract you, you have the ability to be a boundless volcano of creativity and ingenuity. Now is the time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. Throw out the old and dated ideas and allow your mind to wander and create new, innovative ones.
Your meditation can be smoother, more concentrated, and produce greater results. Last but not least, winter is the season of festive holidays. No matter what religion or culture you associate with, there is something for everyone towards the end of the year.
