Turning Inwards to Nourish the Yin and Start Anew

In Chinese Medicine, winter is yin within yin.
A time to seek solitude.
A time to foster the natural tendency to turn inwards.

Since December I’ve been looking inwards, taking inventory, and finding out what really matters to me. This January, I’m ready to start with a clean slate.

For me, it’s time to let go of:

• Stale or toxic relationships: I highly recommend the book Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping
• Possessions: I’m generally a neat, organized person, so for me this meant cleaning out the closets, family junk drawers, and kitchen pantry
• Habits: I didn’t think I was a coffee addict, but the truth came out when I stopped drinking it (see below)
• Stagnant Energy: Last year, I didn’t allow myself time to ponder life & create. This year I’m committed to daily creating, with a new dreambook/planner from The Dragontree Apothecary that I work on first thing in the morning after consulting the I Ching.

​My clean slate phase kicked off in January with a 10-Day metabolic cleanse. It’s a product that many of my acupuncturist colleagues promote and is recommend 2-3 times a year.  Unfortunately, I haven’t done a cleanse in over 5 years, so I’ve had a lot to clear out.  Day 2 was brutal with nausea, vomiting, an intensely throbbing headache and bedtime at 7pm.  Day 3 started off much better and today (Day 4) I’m committed to working through the aches & pains of the next 6 days. Truth be told, I’m actually starting to enjoy the freedom that comes from not craving another cup of coffee and wondering what I’ll eat for lunch/dinner.  At the same time, I can’t wait until day 11 because my 1 cup of coffee per day will taste so good!

After the cleanse, I’ll be returning to my 99% Paleo lifestyle and favorite foods that nourish the yin: quinoa, chlorella & spirulina, black beans, organic eggs, and organic fruits like red grapes, raspberry & bananas.

What mindstate are you in this January?  Are you taking time this winter to turn inwards and nourish your yin?