Darkest day of the year

Alright, I feel like I've been hit by a Mac truck. I'm on castor oil pack, day #3 for my poor ovarian dumplings that have been hurting, plus I think I'm coming down with a cold. Last night, I couldn't sleep and when I did, I was having dreams chronicling the life of Melissa's past lovers. There in a series of flashes, I was haunted by them like the boyfriend ghosts of Christmas past. Startled and waking up in the middle of the night and making my way to the kitchen with my big floppy slippers, I made myself a cup of Creme Caramel Rooibois from David's Tea and looked out the window. It occured to me then that it was Winter Solstice and this was the darkest day of the year. It was beginning to make sense now.

Generally landing on December 21, the Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year as the sun hugs the horizon and yields the least amount of daylight in the whole year. Depressing? Ya, kind of. But the good news is that the day after the Solstice, is when the days begin to slowly lengthen again until we reach summer. In other words, now is the time to let go and allow for the rebirth of a new year. And no doubt, this year, there was plenty to let go of...which could explain my dreams and how my body seems to bringing things up so that I can finally face it and let them go.

Food plays a huge part in how we think, feel and deal with life around us. During each season, it's important to eat according to the time of year. Take winter for example....

Winter Foods & Preparation

Warm hearty soups, roasted nuts, whole grains (recipe to come this week...sorry folks wasn't about to cook at 2am) are all great choices for this time of year. In Chinese Medicine the organ that pertains to the winter is the kidneys. So eating foods that nourish it like seaweeds, small dark beans and winter greens are all good options. It's best to cook foods using less water and at lower temperatures for longer. Doing so allows us to become more receptive and introspective.

Following my own advice, I snacked on some dulse seaweed and apple after I finished my tea and kindly went back to bed. I couldn't be afraid of reliving the boyfriend ghosts of Christmas past but thank them for being in my life when they were and being able to let them go. So while this might be the darkest day of the year, it certainly doesn't have to be the coldest.

I do believe a New Year is born.