Here’s a really poignant definition for hibernation — choosing to be intimate with the within.

For a bear, this is his cave, for a being living in our Now, it means taking the time to listen deeply to the quiet center. Busyness is not an excuse; the quiet center is ever-present so the intention to listen and a few minutes every day to be still is all that is required. That anxiety or depression or restlessness or apathy or ambivalence…it has something to say. You may be surprised by the incredible wisdom the places we want to avoid have to offer.

For those who truly can slow way down and hibernate, just be careful about moving from the deep space of hibernation to the lonely place of isolation. Hibernation season is also a time when we are deeply called to share hearths with close friends and family. We tend to want to be a lot more discerning, trust that—what people and environments nourish and nurture “the within”—go there.

Thanks for this inspiration Norton! xx