A huge part of my acupuncture practice is a) making grown-ups lie down, b) helping people remember what they knew about life when they were small and c) reintegrating people back into Nature, of which we are all a part, no matter how we try to deny it.

Winter in Chinese Medicine is the season of stillness, solitude, courage, fear, and deep wisdom in the face of the unknown. It is associated with Water, life’s greatest resource, and the many forms that it takes. Water can be calm and peaceful or it can be raging and destructive. It can also be fluid and adaptable or rigid and brittle.

The two organs associated with Winter are the Bladder and the Kidneys. Both deal with water in a literal sense. While on another level, the Bladder is responsible for containment – the setting of limits on one’s reserves. The Kidneys house our deepest wisdom and the vital essence that is unique to each of us.

How we use our Water energy has a great effect on how we move through the world. It is our motivational force that moves us into life. When faced with uncertainty or the unknown, it is better to sit quietly and plumb the depths of our wisdom and courage before we act rather than surge forth in fear in an aggressive show of power.

To have the resources to do this, we must get adequate sleep, cultivate peace and stillness in our busy lives and learn to develop an inner quietude. In this Winter season, deep listening helps to engender bravery, patience and acceptance. The ability to burst forth in Spring and enjoy the activity of Summer, requires us to take this time for restoration.

Practically speaking, this means being specific about how we expend our energy. At holiday parties, don’t wear yourself out flitting around the room in an attempt to talk to anyone and everyone. Rather, it is wiser to seek out those few individuals you really wish to see and give them the gift of being truly present to them and really listening. Quiet simplicity is the energetic hallmark of this time of year and often your time and attention is all people truly want.

Likewise, when considering gift giving, remember that giving simply and wisely enriches the gift and the giver. In our home, we celebrate by lighting the house with candles and quietly sharing stories and a gift or two. My whole family loves it – both children and adults. It is a joyous time for sharing and for replenishing our resources on all levels: body, mind, and spirit in preparation for engaging in the exuberant activity of the Spring that is to come.

At this deep and meaningful time of year, may you find the strength to move smoothly through the activity of the holiday season with courage, wisdom, and joy. And may you come to realize that the unknown need not be a threat but rather full of countless possibilities.

Janice Campbell M.Ac., L.Ac., ADS is a licensed Acupuncturist, Qigong Instructor, and Co-Owner of Ancient Arts Wellness, a center for healing in the heart of downtown Baltimore. | www.AncientArtsWellness.com