A winter time has arrived, the turning point of short days, the season of change and quiet, and a quality of light that along with more northern latitudes, is my favourite. Now as the days are shorter, the cool gold and silver, and even grey days are a welcome quieting to my world.

There are many who claim that here in California we don’t even experience seasons, yet this year is proof positive of the most amazing colours stretching into December still. Although we have already had a small bit of snow, and in one 30 hour period in October we had over 15 inches of rain, followed by a repeat of the fires that are becoming too much an annual ordeal, the moisture and then mildness kept the leaves on long enough for there to be brilliant colours of liquid amber, maples and ginko. When it does rain, we get the clean fragrance of bay and fir, redwood and oak. I try to keep close to home these few days from now until Christmas, a holiday that as time has unfolded, is more scattered and less a ritual than ever before.

For these last few days before the seasonal calendar reasserts itself, I enforce my own meditative moments. I welcome a little solitude. I consider the wishes and dreams and desires for the coming season and year. If a cold or bit of seasonal germs invade, it isn’t really a bother – just a reminder of taking time to heal.

May your own spirit find space to repair, renew and rest.
May you feel peace ❧