Winter analogies: Death and hibernation

Winter is upon us again at this time of the year.

For those of us living in the northern hemisphere especially, December may seem to descend upon us like snow cascading down a mountain, as it steadily builds its momentum to become a fearsome and mighty avalanche that comes roaring into our consciousness.

Or it may make its presence felt like snowflakes drifting gently down to the earth in a less spectacular fashion, but just as impactful nonetheless.

What does winter mean to you?

For some of us, winter may be a symbol of death and barrenness.

Nothing can be starker than a wintry white landscape of bare trees, devoid of leaves that once adorned their crowns in full glory during summertime.

Maybe winter is a symbolism, a metaphor, an illustration of the bleak scenario that we see all around us at some point in our life, whether in the present or in the past.

It could be in the form of a financial drought, or stagnation in some relationships, or a broken dream, or the passing of a loved one, or memories of someone or some event that you missed dearly, as you contemplate in the silent moments of your life far away from the noise and distractions of commercialised culture that pervade our modern life.

Never has the presence of death and emptiness been so strong during such a time, that often sends chills and shivers down your spine.

It can be a time when one feels the most alone in the midst of faceless crowds and repetitive music in shopping malls that is manufactured to create a mood of artificial happiness.

For me, for some reason, the death of some keynote people came back to my memory lately. Only yesterday, I remembered my father who passed away in 2011 after health complications from Parkinson's disease. Today, I remember some public figures who have passed away - Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Martin Luther King Jr, to name a few.

The demise of a loved one or a beloved public figure or a cherished dream brings profound sadness and despair.

And as winter wears on into the months of January and February, it may sometimes seem like a neverending stretch of hopelessness.

For some of us, winter may be a symbol of hibernation.

In the natural world, it is a time when animals such as bears and hamsters retreat to their dens and burrows to hibernate until the weather becomes warmer again.

It can be a time when dreams lie dormant and plans are put on the shelf for an indefinite period of time.

It is also a time when the roots of oak trees sink deeper into the soil to reach the water in the hidden recesses of the earth.

During such a time, nothing seems to be growing or happening or progressing on the surface.

But as you continue to draw water from the underground spring of inspiration and work on your self-development, self-love and self-acceptance in the darkest of moments where no one else notices behind the scene, you are building a strong foundation for your future.

Sooner or later, springtime will arrive.

The old that is passing away or has passed away will make way for the new to come.

In due time, you will see the signs of new life, as the seeds of love and inspiration that you have sown germinate and sprout and grow from the fertile soil of your consciousness.

A wise man once said:

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

For now, let us hang in there, and enjoy this inspiring poem by beloved Irish writer and poet John O'Donohue.

Beannacht / Blessing

On the day when

the weight deadens

on your shoulders

and you stumble,

may the clay dance

to balance you.

And when your eyes

freeze behind

the grey window

and the ghost of loss

gets in to you,

may a flock of colours,

indigo, red, green,

and azure blue

come to awaken in you

a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

in the currach of thought

and a stain of ocean

blackens beneath you,

may there come across the waters

a path of yellow moonlight

to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life.”

― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom