Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

I coincidentally read this book while on a leave of absence from work for a new hip - my own little wintering period. I think that made the book hit different, but even then I had a hard time staying with it. It’s a beautiful book but not one that grips me. To each their own. It definitely makes you stop and think about how where you live, how you grow up can dictate how you see the seasons. Most importantly, it reminds us to stay in the here and now as much as possible and create patterns/rituals that help you track the passage of time. If you create that rhythm and always have a milestone to look forward to, you are less likely to get depressed. I did like how the author used different cultures, snow, bees and robins to highlight aspects of how we all approach the winter. Change is inevitable, the way we react to it is all we can control.

I thought this book was just about rest and retreat but it is so much more. The historical and current example of how groups and individual "winter" add so much to this. Katherine's own story is powerful.

REALLY enjoyed this one. It's helped me to be kinder to myself during this difficult time. KEY QUOTES: “Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult "Wintering is the active acceptance of sadness. It is the practice of allowing ourselves to feel it as a need. It is the courage to stare down the worst parts of our experience and to commit to healing them the best we can. Wintering is a moment of intuition, our true needs felt keenly as a knife.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times “We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The power of rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

Poignant, eloquent, and full of quiet wisdom. I wasn’t sure at first, but I was soon drawn in by the sincerity with which Katherine May reflects on life’s more difficult seasons. Her insights felt deeply personal yet relatable for so many, and I found myself highlighting countless gems—words I know I’ll return to for comfort and reflection. Truly a beautiful read!

As a sun-seeking gal, I have a fresh perspective on the transformative power of winter, rest, and giving ourselves a break when needed.