Tips for embracing Winter. (Hibernation)

- Purify Your Space:  Some plants are natural purifiers like spider plants, peace lilies, and rubber plants. Also getting an air purifier for your main living space would help keep your home fresh, and reduce sickness by cleansing the air.

- Embrace Winter Herbs and Spices: Burn incense made of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, pine, and cedar. You can sip herbal teas made of fresh Chai. Simmer a pot of fresh cider or mulled wine full of cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, star anise, whole cloves, caradmom pods, and citrus for some ideas.

- Pamper Your Body: Enjoy warm baths adding 1 cup Epsom Salts, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a few drops of essential oil. (Lavender for relaxation, rosemary for invigoration, etc). If your skin is dry, try taking some oatmeal and crushing it into a powder instead of the Epsom Salts. Also consider a weekly spa night where you might apply a facial mask, deep treat your hair, etc.

- Feed Your Mind: Work on spiritual study, some sort of craft that takes an extended amount of time (knitting, quilting, etc), or read those books you’ve been meaning to. Keep a journal of your progress.

- Stay Active: Engage in low impact exercise like Yoga, Tai Chi, or swimming if you know of a free or inexpensive indoor pool. You could also bundle up tight and take walks on days that allow it. (Or be like me and break out your Wii Fit)

- Serve The Tribe: Take care of your own family, but do outreach as well. If you can’t volunteer locally, while you are out doing your holiday shopping contribute a little something to Toys for Tots or donate old winter clothes to the Goodwill.

- Celebrate: Yule, Imbolc, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, or any other holiday traditional to your spirituality is a great time to concentrate on being merry. String some lights, make or buy some gifts for others (even if it’s just a plate of cookies), put up some greenery. Just be happy and get into the mood to celebrate something positive.