Winter’s Paradox

Embrace winter

Or…

Endure it?

Not a question anyone asks of spring, summer or autumn.

Those in colder climates may appreciate the luxury of longer evenings, the magic of freshly fallen snow, or the exhilaration of a toboggan run. But no matter where you are, winter’s diminished light, cooler temperatures and slower pace can feel unsettling.

As Earth’s climate changes, more unsettling thoughts and feelings can arise. Those of us used to biting cold may welcome unseasonably warm temperatures; but can we truly enjoy them knowing what they portend? Harsh, unexpected storms in regions used to milder winters remind all of us that winter is a season that requires preparation, regardless of where we live.

To endure or embrace this season requires an inward look as much as an outward one. Some of the questions we’ll ponder:

What does winter mean for me?
How do I hold the beauty and the hardship winter brings?
What if we were to lose winter?

We’ll follow the Courage & Renewal® approach, to create a welcoming, caring and trustworthy space for participants to explore what winter as season and metaphor offers us. We’ll practice deep listening and offer honest, open questions to support each other as we look inward even as we face the outer challenges winter may present.

We’ll work with the online setting in a balanced and purposeful way. Zoom will offer a gathering space for our interactions with each other as well as a platform to share images, music, poetry and story. We’ll take time off-screen for reflection and observation, movement and rest.

This four-session online retreat will meet for two hours, every other week beginning January 11, 2023

Leslie and Winifred are settlers on Treaty 13 Land, the traditional territories of many Indigenous Nations, and home to diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island. A portion of the fees contributed to this retreat will be passed on to the N’iikanaaganaa Foundation (payyourrent.ca)