December 18, 2024
“Winter is a teacher of vulnerability.” – Robin Wall Kimmerrer
“It is precisely at the point that the night is longest and darkest that you’ve actually turned a corner.” – Omid Safi, of winter solstice
Dear Friends,
How have you been? The past two months have been the busiest I’ve had in five years. My son is applying to high schools in New York City, and for those of you who’ve been through this process, know just how intense it can be! I’m so relieved that we’re finally approaching the end of this journey, and when I looked up, I realized it’s almost the winter solstice.
Sometimes I marvel at the rapid pace of technological change in my lifetime. I was born in the late 70s in a Chinese city still in the early stages of industrialization. We had running water, but no hot water. Electricity was unreliable during the summer, and bicycles were the primary mode of transportation. If you ventured into rural areas, people were still drawing water from wells, and modern sewage systems didn’t exist—life was pre-industrial. Moving to New York accelerated my experience of the Industrial Revolution by about 50 years. By the time I entered the workforce in 2000, the internet was just beginning to take hold. As a digital marketer for the last 24 years, I’ve witnessed the ongoing struggle of society to keep up with the explosive rise of the internet, smartphones, and social media. Now, working in tech journalism, I’m learning much about AI, which promises to revolutionize our lives at an even greater speed and with more far-reaching effects than the internet.
The cycle of technological revolutions is speeding up, and our bodies, minds, and societal structures aren’t evolving fast enough to keep pace. More than ever, this makes me appreciate the practice of meditation. It allows us to slow down and realign our bodies and minds with the rhythms of our biological nature. I’m not anti-tech; in fact, I’m often an early adopter. I enjoy the convenience of GPS while driving and the peace of mind of knowing where my son is when he comes home late. But I also treasure those moments when I can step away from it all and embrace a slower, simpler rhythm—living like an 18th-century human, at peace with the natural flow of time. I take off my watch and listen to my body – when to eat, to walk, to rest. This sense of coming home is even more pronounced when I can spend time in nature, in the wilderness, for example, when I sleep under the night sky and gaze at the stars.
As I’ve learned to appreciate the gift of every season, I’ve come to appreciate the practice of “wintering”—a time to slow down, reflect, and renew. Winter could be seen as a liminal space, a time between what has been and what is yet to be. It’s a season between letting go in the fall and rebirth in the spring. Like the blanket of white snow that covers the earth, winter is pregnant with potentiality. Of possibility. It is a season for cultivating faith and trust, knowing that even when we can’t see it, things are reconfiguring beneath the surface. Just as the earth decomposes in winter to create rich soil, new life is silently being prepared to emerge in spring.
I have come to embrace the unknown, of liminal moments. I take time to declutter my home, retreat inward, reflect on the past year, and set intentions for the new one. But lately, I’ve found that I don’t need a specific purpose for these retreats. I can just cherish the time to be, to get in tune with my body and mind, and to let the retreat reveal to me what I need to know or learn.
Winter is also a time for connection. Across cultures, humans have created rituals to help us navigate the harshness of winter—bringing in light, gathering around fires to share stories and wisdom, and connecting with loved ones through food and celebration. We create spaces of coziness, comfort, and warmth to counterbalance the cold and darkness. In these long, dark days, we need these connections to remind us of the preciousness of life. The Winter Solstice, celebrated around the world, marks the longest night of the year—the survival of the darkest times—but also the turning toward more light. It’s a powerful reminder that, even in our darkest moments, light will always return.
While raising my son, we’ve come to cherish the joys of winter: making snow angels in playgrounds, sledding in parks, and skiing in mountains. Engaging with the season in this way and embracing the elements bring fun to the cold months. We also enjoy visiting the holiday light shows around the city, particularly the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. There’s something truly magical about the way nature and light come together in this annual exhibition. We marvel at the intricate details—the pieces of bark, fallen berries, and acorns—turning them into miniature landscapes of wonder.
Last December, when my son turned 13, we traveled to Iceland, just the two of us. Instead of a bar mitzvah, I chose this journey as a ritual to mark his transition into young manhood. We chased the northern lights at midnight and hiked through volcanoes and ice caves. Iceland’s dramatic landscape, where ice meets fire, captivated both of us. The Icelandic people have learned to survive the long, dark winters—sometimes up to 20 hours of night time—by telling their sagas, stories that have kept their spirits alive for generations. And the memories and talks we shared will be with us for the rest of our lives.
May wintering, whether going inward or connecting with others, bring you light and warmth in your inner and outer journeys. May you find rest and renewal as you embrace the gifts of winter.
Blessings and love,
Lin
Photo: Iceland, Moon rising in mid-afternoon, December 2023
GoFundMe: 2025 -2027 Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leadership Training
Pay it forward: I’ll be joining the next Community Dharma Leadership (CDL7) training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. This program includes five retreats over two years and costs ~$14,000. Your contribution will help me cover these expenses. No contribution is too small—every donation is deeply appreciated. Thank you for your support!