Yin Yang by Moira Gil John

In winter, the world rests. During these short cold days and long dark nights, bears hibernate and trees stand leafless, their sap pulled inward, back to the center, back to the core. Fields lie fallow, fish rest motionless under ice-covered ponds and bulbs lie dormant beneath their snowy blankets. It is the Yin season - a time of sleeping, dreaming, resting, re-centering and waiting.

While the hectic pace of the holiday season and the relative warmth of these Arizona winter days pull us into doing, it is important that we honor this season of rest with more being.

January is the perfect time of year to retreat from the general busyness of life. Take some time for yourself to step out of doing. If you can, carve out a whole day, weekend or week to step back from your routine. If you can't create a big block of time, make room for mini-retreats of just a few minutes during your day.

Use this retreat time to reflect on the year past and dream into the year ahead. Slow down and move inward. Center back into your heart. Breathe. Meditate. Move slowly. Be quiet. Be gentle with yourself and those around you. Just be.

Sitting in the energy of Yin creates space for the gestation of what is to come. What is it that wants to be born in you during this transformational year of 2012? Now is the time to plant the energetic seeds of your desires within your heart and mind, to let them slowly germinate unseen within the womb of winter rest.

Soon, as the days lengthen and warm, the time for doing will return. The Yang energy will rise. The bear will wake, the tree will bud, the field will green, the fish will jump and the crocus will push its way up through the snow. The seeds of desire you planted in the stillness of winter will require your attention, and you will move forward with your plans.

But for now, rest, as the world does in winter.