Oh Winter, hello again..

According to Chinese medicine, Winter is the best season if you’re a creative, so a good time to get down with the Yin energy of the season.

‘Winter is the best season if you’re a creative’

Thousands of years ago, people lived in a state of complete harmony with nature. They adjusted their lives, activities and diets to suit the season and because of this, they kept their immune systems and their organs strong so that they could ward off disease.

According to Chinese medicine, the Yin energy of Winter is all about dark, slow, cold, rest, going inward, creativity and intuition. 

So if we dial up the Yin and subdue the Yang energy of work and action, we give ourselves the best shot at staying healthy, harmonious and happy creators.

For floral arrangements, using Yin qualities such as rest, dark, comfort and curved could make for a pretty evocative creation.  And contrary to popular belief, there’s lots of goodies around. It’s a great time to celebrate bare branches and twigs, seed pods, berries and nuts. 

Katie Marx has listed a few of her favourite florals for us.

• Branches of citrus
• Banksias
• Olive with fruit
• Cotton
• Clematis seed pods 
• Euclaptus foliage
• Bare branches
• Golden ash 
• Succulents
• Jonquils

For living and creating with the Yin and Yang energies of the seasons, check out this list below (thanks to http://www.whereaminow.com)

YIN  – Winter, Autumn                 YANG  – Spring, Summer 

• Rest                                                                     Work
• Cold                                                                     Hot
• Wet                                                                      Dry
• Dark                                                                    Light
• Spontaneous                                                     Disciplined
• Passive                                                               Aggressive
• Receiving                                                          Giving
• Restoring                                                          Depleting
• Night                                                                 Day
• Lunar                                                                Solar
• Inner life                                                          Outer life
• Intuition                                                           Analysis
• Curved                                                              Linear
• Water                                                                Stone
• Cooperative                                                     Competitive
• Body                                                                  Mind
• Beautiful                                                          Functional
• Slow food                                                         Fast food
• Creativity                                                         Productivity
• Natural world                                                 Built world (civilization)
• Nurturing                                                        Protective

Sources: https://www.chinesemedicineliving.com/nutrition/seasons/winter

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