Embracing Winter: combining Ancestral Wisdom with a Life-Centered approach.
What can Indigenous wisdom teach us about living in balance with Nature? How taking a Life-Centered approach can amplify our health? How they combined help us create a resilient mind and body?
It's almost the end of the day. After snowing all evening, I decided to walk quietly and enjoy some bites of solitude, especially in this area in the archipelago, where natural reserves are across the corner. The raindeers, foxes, and badges, among other small fantastic creatures from the north, seem to look for food. Most leaves disappear and are exposed at this time of the year. The houses unravel a wood smell made by the fireplaces as temperatures drop. It’s Winter in its full spectrum.
Embracing Ancestry
Our ancestors used to see Winter as the quiet season; as nature goes inward, so do we. We get into the deep dark roots of the Earth, preparing ourselves for the expanding season lying ahead and resting from all the expansion from the year behind us.
They used to embrace the Winter as a time to prepare the ground, so when springtime rolls around, humans have the energy to create that manifestation to burst.
But we don’t allow ourselves to go inside very often purposefully in the winter. As the outside becomes quieter and the activity calms down, it's a good time to focus inward and create more space for ourselves, going into the profound Yan energy that can be nurturing if we take the time to slow down and enjoy it.
Rest is crucial in the Winter. Overwork and lack of sleep quickly deplete the water element in our bodies.
On this set, I recently came across the work of Aka Hansen through an online danish design platform. She curated a series of Instagram Live conversations to amplify Indigenous voices of the Arctic and inspire people to think about other perspectives.
Her series Ancestral Futures connects Indigenous communities and experiences across the circumpolar north.
She shares the concept of Silla, the spirit of the wind and Inua, the vital force representing a chain or continuum of all the individuals who had lived, were living, or were to live. It’s an understanding based on everything being connected.
Our relationship with land cannot heal until we learn to listen. — Robin Wall Kimmerer
Whenever I go and experience the arctic, the nature and culture feel like time travel to me. I encourage you to feel the warmth when you enter a Lavvu (a tent), listening to the sound of a crackling fire and watching its sparkling lights. You will connect with the culture and the arctic nature.
The Sámi community spend a lot of time listening to the environment. Sámi heritage is reflected in its understanding of snow and its connection to winter. For instance, they have more than 200 words to define snow.
According to UNESCO, Sami terminology proves to be more holistic and integrated into the local ecology than international standard snow terms.
But while snow is a significant component of Sámi, this is just one aspect. In their culture, everything you do outdoors should have a purpose.
These people see Nature as our mother, as the whole reason for our existence, who deserves respect. Food can be a magnificent source of life but fragile to them.
Life-Centered approach
What we design, design us back. This statement is often attributed to the American architect and designer R. Buckminster Fuller, who believed that the things we create and design have a reciprocal relationship with us as designers and creators.
Everything we design reflects our values, beliefs, and culture. By designing intentionally and thoughtfully, we can create a world that supports and enhances our lives rather than limiting or constraining us.
Thus, by understanding how natural systems and our health work, we prioritize the flourishing of all life, both human and non-human. It involves rethinking the design process of our life from a systems-level perspective, focusing on creating regenerative, sustainable, and equitable solutions that support interconnectedness.
Now, transporting us to our lives in the cold Winter, we can bring the holistic ancestry viewpoint to live more in tune with the seasons.
Taking food as an example, living in the north, if we are going to indulge in fruits, we should go with the local season and stay away from the tropical fruits as much as possible.
Remember, when we eat food, we signal in our bodies what is happening in our external environment, mainly if dealing with extreme environments when the Winter is dark and cold. The temperatures drop to -15 C or below. So sticking with seasonal fruits, for example, is one of the things we can consider to nurture our health and well-being.
Whenever we infuse food with heat, the cells of that food absorb the heat energy, which it transfers into our bodies. Even by stewing some oats, apples or prunes, they will absorb the heat energy, which will nurture the kidneys and the water will break the food down and create some conduct of the heat to travel in our bodies. That’s why we should add more soups to our meals in the winter season.
Arctic lessons to bring home
After returning from the first travel to the Swedish and Norwegian arctic areas and embracing the Danish and Swedish Winters for more than a decade, I became more aware of what it means to transition into the Winter.
Here are some ways to apply Life-Centered approach principles with some of the ancestral Arctic wisdom:
- Nurturing warm and creative spaces: In the Arctic winter, creating warm and inviting spaces is essential. Use soft lighting, warm colours, and cosy textiles to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your home.
- Connect with Nature: Despite the cold weather, there is still a lot of natural beauty in the Winter. Make time to go outside and enjoy the snow, ice, and winter landscapes. Go outside for a winter hike or run, and appreciate how you connect with your surroundings. Find indoor workouts like bouldering, swimming or yoga to boost your mood and strength the body.
- Connect with others and the Community: Spending time with loved ones is essential for your emotional well-being, especially during the long and dark winter months. Also, get involved in a project related to a significant cause, creating value for you and others. Be involved in a community of like-minded people where everyone has different skills and can give unique outcomes benefitting all.
