How to Live with the Seasons

This blog post explains how to live with the seasons.

You may wonder why it would be of interest to align your life with the current season. Because in our modern society, it is possible to both do and eat whatever we want despite of what seasons it is. For example, if we want to ice skate, there is probably an ice hall somewhere in the city you can go to. Or if you want a watermelon in the midst of winter, no problem! Just buy one in the nearest supermarket.

So why adjust our lives to the seasons and the weather outside when we can get whatever whenever we want? Well let me give you some possible reasons. 

By living with the seasons we can live a much more present, balanced and ultimately fulfilling life.

By being aligned to the current season and energies of the earth we get in sync with the natural rhythm of life. And so, we connect not only to the earth, but also to ourselves. 

Today our modern world pretends that we live in an eternal summer, by working hard and never resting. We deny the connection we have to nature, and by doing so we get disconnected from both the earth and ourselves. We can really get unbalanced and stressed out by not respecting that life on earth has seasons. If we keep hustling constantly and never take time for rest, we will eventually burn out.

Instead, when we live with the seasons, we can make sure we don’t skip an important season in our own lives. After summer eventually the winter comes, which means: after work comes a time for rest.

In this post you can read all about why to live with the seasons and how to do it. 

I also explain the main energies of each season: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Keep reading to learn how to use these natural energies for a more fulfilling life. And to make sure you know how to cease the possibilities every seasons has to offer!

The Different Energies of each Season

Spring

Spring is a time for rebirth. Everything is slowly waking up and coming to life again after a deep slumber during the winter. The snow melts, small grass sprouts shoot up from the ground, the sun gets a little warmer, animals wake up and birds start to sing. Energy is rising and the feeling of new beginnings hangs in the air.

Cleansing, planning, setting intentions and planting. Those are typical activities for spring!
Now is a great time for cleaning and clearing the clutter from the resting phase of winter. This applies to your home but also to your body! It is a great time to detoxify and cleanse your body, maybe with the help of detoxifying herbs like dandelion. Spring is also a great time to brainstorm and make plans for the year ahead, future goals and dreams. Decide what you want to do with your life this year and make a plan. It is the perfect time to set intentions and start preparing the soil for the seeds you are about to plant.

Summer

Summer is a time of active sun energy. Everything is growing and blooming in full glory and buzzing with energy. The days are long, the sun is shining, temperatures are warm. The world around us is full of infinite shades of green, sounds of buzzing insects and summer fragrances. Summer has the energy of fire, growth, creativity and abundance.

Summer is the time of the year that we naturally have the most energy. It is the season to be active and to work hard on your dreams and goals. Also it is a time to be social, meet new people, try new things and let the creative juices flow! Go outside, move your body and connect with people around you. The long daylight hours make it possible for us to work and play longer than other seasons. Summer is a time of celebration and all about outward expression of energy.

✧ Read: 10 Ways to get More Energy Naturally

Autumn

When autumn arrives the energy slowly starts to draw itself back into the earth. Leaves start to shift from green to yellow and red, the weather is getting colder, days are getting shorter and nights longer. Summer was all about outward expression of energy, but now it is transforming into an inward expression of energy.

Autumn is a great time to finish any project you started in the spring or summer. You planted the seeds in the springtime, worked for it during the summer and now it is time to finish it and reap the benefits. It is a time to be grateful for all the abundance around us, and share meals with our loved ones to nourish ourselves before the cold winter. Slow down and get extra aware of the beauty and abundance surrounding you. Harvest the fruits of your work. Spend time outside while the sun is still shining to take advantage of that last warm sunlight. Autumn is also a time when our intuition is strong, so listen. Let go of things that no longer serve you and set clear boundaries.

✧ Read: How to Practice Gratitude & become Happier

Winter

Winter is a time of moon energy. The active period of summer is over and autumn has slowly transformed into winter. Nature almost seems dead and the ground may be covered with a soft white layer of snow. But nature isn’t dead. All its energy is simply withdrawn into the core of the earth. Winter is all about inward expression of energy. Spend time with yourself, your loved ones and family. Share nourishing meals, keep warm and enjoy the slower pace of life.

Winter is the perfect time to rest from everything you have done this year. Meditate, sleep, dream and reload your batteries for the upcoming spring. It is a time for going inwards and to be still. It can be scary to get in touch with our darkness but it is so healing.
During this cold and slow season you can reflect on how your year has been, what goals and dreams you have achieved, which you have not and why. Get quiet and in touch with your heart and learn to listen: What does it say? Also you can do some inner work and really align your life to yourself and your core values. Discover who you are, because only you can give yourself happiness. With this wisdom and sense of purpose you’ll soon be ready for spring again!

Why live with the seasons?

In today’s modern world many things are regarded as linear. One of those things is life.
Life is often seen as a straight line, maybe with some humps and dumps down the road, but constantly going forward. Also time is seen as linear. We go from January to December and the first of January we start a new line again.
But if you think about it, nothing in nature is actually linear.

In nature both life and time are cyclical, flowing in an endless cycle. The circle of life.

Everything in this universe has a cycle. The moon, the menstrual cycle, seasons, the sun, water movement, plant growth etc. Many of these things are cyclical because of our cyclical solar system. The earth rotating and orbiting around the sun is the reason why we have different seasons.

Plants and animals always adjust themselves to the changes the earth brings. And yet humans are the only species not attuning themselves to it (any longer). We expect ourselves to work hard no matter what season, month or time it is. The only way is forward and we never really think about taking a step back, reflecting and making time to go inwards.

We are already affected by the seasonal changes of the earth, even if you may not be aware of it. In winter we naturally crave more sleep and in summer we are all feeling more happy and active due to longer and stronger sunlight. Animals automatically adapt to this, but humans stubbornly deny to surrender to nature and keep going until we get sick.

We don’t expect flowers to bloom constantly, so why do we expect it from ourselves?

How can we expect ourselves to be productive all the time without resting? How do we even know what our true dreams and values are when we never turn inwards and actually listen? Life is not an eternal summer (even if that would be a dream). We have to make space for the other seasons as well.

This is why living with the seasons can be so balancing and fulfilling. We then acknowledge each season outside, but also inside of us. We flow with the different energies of the seasons, not trying to fight them by doing the opposite and burning ourselves out. When we live with the seasons, we make sure we make time to listen to ourselves, instead of only doing what is expected of us and work towards the things we think we want. 

It is so easy to become lost in modern life where the only way seems forward and anything else isn’t seen as success. You constantly hear that you must grow, do better, get richer, get more and more and more. We loose connection to what is truly important to us. We don’t even hear the little whisper of our own heart anymore, because the expectations of the outer world are screaming in our face.

But when we live with the seasons and connect to the earth and her natural rhythm, we also come home to ourselves. And by connecting to our truest self, we become authentic and can explore our soul, our purpose and true desires.

The Benefits of Living with the Seasons

Now you know why to even bother to live with the seasons and how it can improve your well being and quality of life. Lets get into the further benefits that living with the seasons has!

1. It makes us more present

Being aware of the seasons and aligning your life to them is the ultimate tool for becoming more present. We have to notice what happens in nature around us if we want to know what seasonal energy we’re currently living in. This takes us right back to the present moment. Spend time in nature, intentionally connect yourself to it and notice the signs of the season around you!

✧ Read: 10 Tips to Become more Present

2. It keeps us balanced

Living a life in harmony with the seasons will make sure you don’t skip an important season in your own life. This in turn will help to keep you balanced. The seasons are like a guide that tells you when it is time to plan, work, harvest and rest. Accepting the current season and taking advantage of its energy, brings peace to both our mind and life.

3. It gives a sense of connection

Being present in your daily life and intentionally notice nature around you brings a sense of connection to the world. Not only will you feel more connected to the world around you but also more to yourself. Connection is very important for our well-being as humans, as research shows it improves both our physical and mental health.

✧ Read: 10 Ways To Connect With The Earth

4. It relieves stress

Nature isn’t blooming all the time and neither should you. By listening to your body and taking time to rest and recharge you are less likely to get stress related problems. Spending time in nature and observing your surroundings also slows down the constant rambling of the mind. Which in turn leads to less worrying and relieving stress

✧ Read: 15 Ways to Stay Grounded in times of Stress

5. You start flowing with life

You are making yourself a hard time by going against the natural change of seasons. Instead you could make them work in your favor! It is pointless to resist something that is going to happen anyways, so start to embrace the different seasons of life. Suffering comes from not accepting what currently is. So accept the current season and take advantage of what that season has to offer! When you do this, things will get easier and life will start flowing.

How to live with the seasons

Here are some ideas and activities you can do to live with the seasons. There are of course more things you can do, but these are some good suggestions to get you started!

1. Eat seasonally

One thing that you can do to live more seasonally, is to eat what the current season has to offer! Eating what’s currently growing at this time of year will increase your awareness of it and also be beneficial for almost everything. When food is in season it’s fresher, tastes better and also contains more nutrients because it isn’t forced to grow under unnatural circumstances. Also it is great for the planet and your wallet, as food in season is cheaper because of its abundance. 

2. Spend time in nature

Go outside and notice what season you are in now. What is happening around you? What do you see? Smell? Taste? Feel? Hear? Feel the season with all of your senses to get present and connected. You will get attuned to the current season and open your senses to its amazing possibilities.

3. Tune yourself into the energy of each season

Get in tune with the energy of each season (Read the different energies of each season). If it’s winter right now, make time to rest plenty after you’ve done some work. If it’s summer, go ahead and work a little harder on your goals and dreams, but don’t forget to have fun! By tuning yourself into the energy of each season you will keep yourself balanced and start to flow with life.

4. Plant something

Planting something or tending to a garden is a beautiful reminder for us that life has seasons. Plant seeds during spring, nurture and let them grow during summer, harvest in autumn and let them die and wither in the winter. Taking care of plants will not only make you aware that each thing has its season, but also connect you more to nature. 

5. Do seasonal activities

One of the most fun things to do to live with the seasons, is doing seasonal activities! For example you can go ice skating in the winter, plant a garden in spring, go to the beach in the summer and carve pumpkins in autumn. Doing fun activities fitting to each season will make you appreciate each season so much more! It can also make you look forward to the changing seasons instead of resisting the inevitable change. 

✧ Winter: Make Chaga Tea [Complete Guide + Recipe] 
✧ Spring: Make Bird Cherry Floral Water 
✧ Summer: Make homemade Kombucha
✧ Autumn: Make Natural Lip Balm – Natural Lip Balm Recipe

6. Rise and go to bed with the sun

Let the rising and setting of the sun remind you when to be active and when to take time to rest. For those living high up in the northern hemisphere like me, don’t take it too literally ;). During the summertime I personally wake up at about 6 am and go to bed around 10 pm. In the winter I wake up 7-8 am and go to bed around 10 pm. That is 1-2 hours of more sleep a night during the winter, and it feels only natural while it being so dark outside. Allow yourself to stay up later when it is still light outside, but also allow yourself to sleep more during the darker periods of the year.

7. Go foraging

Lastly but not least, you can live with the seasons by foraging what nature has to offer each season. One thing that I put into recurring calendar every year are the times that certain things grow in nature, so I won’t forget to forage them! 

There are stinging nettles and dandelions to forage for spring, berries and wild rose petals in summer , mushrooms and apples in autumn and Chaga or Christmas decorations in the winter! Of course there is also so much more and it may differ depending on where in the world you live. 

✧ Read: Stinging Nettle Infusion Recipe

Final Thoughts on Living with the Seasons

So now we know why and how to live with the seasons! There are many beautiful benefits to it, like living a more balanced and easy flowing life. It also makes life much more interesting and varying, as each seasons has its own unique energy and purpose!

Embrace the seasons of the earth. Experience them and be grateful for all they have to offer. Life is constantly changing and to live with the seasons will make you feel alive, connected and whole.

It is only natural to follow the earths rhythms and accept the changes they bring. With work comes rest, with going outward comes going inward, with birth comes death. It is an eternal cycle that will exist forever, so lets live in harmony with it.

For more posts like this, check out What is Natural Living? The complete explanation. In that post we will dive into what it is to live naturally and how it can improve your health and well being!

By Bo Smit