Do the short days and long nights of winter fill you with a sense of dread? For many in the UK, the coldest season represents a bleak, interminable stretch to be endured. However, writer Katherine May offers a radically different perspective in a recent podcast conversation with Annie Kelly.
The Philosophy of 'Wintering': A Season for Rest
May advocates for a concept she calls 'wintering' – the conscious act of embracing the season for what it is, rather than fighting against it. She argues that by constantly wishing away this quarter of the year, we are effectively rejecting a fundamental part of the natural cycle and our own lives.
Far from being a barren time, May posits that winter is a crucial period for rest and recovery. It is a time to slow down, reflect, and conserve energy, much like the natural world does. This seasonal shift, she suggests, can be a profound opportunity for personal renewal if we choose to align with it rather than resist.
Rediscovering Joy in the Dark Months
In her discussion, the author challenges the purely negative narrative surrounding winter. She highlights the unique pleasures the season can bring, pointing out that it holds its own forms of intimacy and joy. With a playful nod to human nature, May references midnight sex as one such winter pleasure, humorously asking why else there are so many September babies.
Her approach is about finding light in the darkness, both literally and metaphorically. It's a call to reframe our relationship with the year's most challenging season and to seek out the comforts and connections it uniquely affords.
Practical Tips for Winter Wellness
Beyond the philosophy, Katherine May provides actionable advice for navigating winter with more grace and less grief. Her tips are refreshingly anti-austerity, focusing on comfort and kindness to oneself.
Keep your Christmas lights up. May encourages people to maintain festive lighting well beyond the holiday period. The extra sparkle and warmth combat the gloom and bring cheer to the long nights.
Abandon punishing New Year's resolutions. She is a firm critic of the traditional January mindset of deprivation and extreme self-improvement. Instead of setting oneself up for failure with harsh goals, she recommends a gentler, more accepting approach to the self during winter.
Her overarching message is one of permission: permission to rest, to seek cosiness, to be less productive, and to find small, sustainable ways to add warmth and light until the spring inevitably returns.
