Dawn of the Year, Season of Light: January

For several decades I've been observing my personal new year right around Winter Solstice but for most Westerners, the traditional date of January 1 is still the one. Whatever the date and whether or not it's an important day for you, January is in many ways a time for fresh starts. Even for those of us who give a nod to the full Christmas season of twelve days, the holidays are over by the end of the first week of January. It feels good to clean out and simplify an elaborately decorated house, a diet of abnormally rich fare or a complicated social schedule. After the swirl of December, January's daily round can seem open, spacious and light.

In liturgical churches, the range of time from January 6 to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent is called Epiphany. The colors associated with the season are generally white and gold - light and airy, with a brightness that's more of a gentle glow than flash & sparkle. Epiphany traditions center around the story of the three kings and the star, which is why stars are popular symbols of the season. The important national holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King jr.'s birthday falls during this season, making it an excellent time to reaffirm any personal commitments in the community, volunteer or political action arena.

It can also be a time to fit more rest into your daily and weekly routine if possible - a hibernation of sorts, recovering from any holiday overload and building energy for spring. Or explore the unique and often undervalued stark beauty of the winter landscape, the dormant time when nature itself is resting. Author Vivian Swift, in her delightfully illustrated book When Wanderers Cease to Roam, a combination of art journal and seasonal musings organized by month, writes about getting into "winter mind." Even if you're a summer person as she was, Swift says, it's possible to cultivate an appreciation of winter for its own sake, meeting it on its own terms rather than regarding it as merely a prelude to spring or a post-holiday slump.

If you already enjoy winter, walking can be an outdoor meditation in motion. Notice the shapes or outlines of trees: some are round and full, some tall and elongated, some shaped like teardrops or fans. Notice how the branches grow - upward or downward, smooth or twisted in odd directions. Look at the skyline if you live in an urban area. The overall shapes of things can become much more apparent in winter. Observe the muted palette of sky, landscape and cityscape. Feel the different quality of winter air and notice whether sounds are affected.  If you live in a snowy area, watch the different shades of white, the quality of light and the color contrasts throughout the day and into evening and night.

For those of you who don't enjoy winter because it's a S.A.D. time,  presently I'll offer a visualization-meditation centering around golden light, to supplement any other measures you're taking to alleviate depression. But first I'll begin with a few rituals to help ease the transition from holiday time (even if you're not very Christmassy, the surrounding popular culture can still be a strong influence) into ordinary time.

Resources
Music: Winter Into Spring, George Winston