Autonomous Together

I hibernate in the winter. It's one of my favorite seasons. My other favorite seasons include fall, spring and summer. Ok, so I like all the seasons. I like the transitions. I like that each season has its own defining climate, smells, wardrobe, nostalgias, holidays. I embrace the shifts in lifestyle that comes with each seasonal change. 


But since it is now winter, that is what this post is about. It's about freedom and independence and aloneness. Winter is the best time to be alone. In aloneness we can reflect on ourselves and our lives and prepare for the spring when we will be ready to put our strengths and plans into action. Yet through the dark winter months, we must rest. We must recharge so that we have the energy and drive to emerge when the sun and warmth returns. 

After spending a simple night in and waking up early to have an isolated meditation followed by a solo breakfast, I sat down to read an article in the New York Times Sunday Review, which analyzed this very solitude and its usefulness to human creativity and productivity. The article discussed the in vogue idea in current American culture of group work and collaborative teamwork and that contrast with solitary work and privacy. The article, which is a great read that should be fully digested, basically concluded that both forms of existence have their benefits, and each should be equally emphasized for their differing strengths and shortcomings. The writer concludes, "But even if the problems are different, human nature remains the same. And most humans have two contradictory impulses: we love and need one another, yet we crave privacy and autonomy."


The yin and the yang. The art of balancing human interaction with solitary reflection. Both are necessary elements to a happy and productive existence, but they should be alternated as needed. Listen to what your mind and body are saying and work and live in that way. 


Winter can be a good time for the solitude and quietness. It's a time to light candles, read books, drink hot tea, write, work on a creative project, or just power down and let your mind experience silence and calmness. If you embrace this idea, springtime will arrive and you will be like a little caterpillar, ingesting everything possible so that you can take flight once summer approaches.