Wellness In-Sight: ‘Tis the Season

CINDY E. FARRAR

As I attempt to write this column, I am twenty-four hours late for the deadline.

Despite it being two years that I have been a contributing writer for Our

Town DeKalb, (and this column is my thirty-fourth), it is the first time I have been “blocked.” My muse clearly has started her holiday time-off early. Reflecting on what it could be about, I realize it isn’t being blocked at all. Rather, I am just in a silent time.

For as long as I can remember, autumn and winter have been my favorite seasons. There is a palpable shift that occurs from the high energy of summer to the more grounded feeling of fall and the calm that comes with winter. As the years have passed, at this time of year, I begin to feel my internal rhythms align with changes happening around me. It seems I have begun following nature’s lead more closely, going within and preserving my resources.

If it is true that silence is golden, then I was given one of the most valuable gifts ever by my junior high school guidance counselor. She taught me that it is okay to not have to fill quiet space with talk. After many periods sitting silently with her, and the decades since sitting silently in the presence of others, (for an hour at a time in thousands of massage sessions), it is a very comfortable and natural state of being for me, one that seems more prevalent during these seasons. As Mahatma Gandi encouraged, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

The wonder of the winter season specifically not only improves upon the silence, it can also literally increase it. Snowy days may seem quieter; it is because they are quieter. Providing sound insulation, snowflakes trap the sound waves, muffling the sound. And the beauty produced by the snow enhances the very quiet it helped to create.

I am certain that it is not a coincidence that the winter holidays, (or “holy days,” as is the word origin), include references to silence or silent for moments of reflections and reverence, and manifestations of peace and inner calm. These moments of stillness and quieted minds may be a challenge to find with the demands, obligations, and other stressors of this time year. Whether an observer of a holiday or not, allowing for such times is essential for overall wellbeing. For only when we are silent, can we truly hear. It is my hope… This column has improved upon the silence. Your days be filled with peace and calm. The happiest of Holy Days to you and yours!

CINDY E. FARRAR, LMT, BCTMB, CLC is a licensed massage therapist, certified life coach and the owner of Massage Associates of Atlanta, LLC (Lavista Road in Tucker). In addition, she is a certified Qi Gong instructor and a nationally approved continuing education provider for massage therapy and bodywork. Cindy enjoys sharing insights on wellness and personal and community development as a speaker and writer.