I've been listening to a lot of folks complain that this is an intense winter here in the northeast, and we still have a few months to go. In my classes, I have been teaching about the water element of winter according to traditional Chinese medicine, and all that it relates to: physically, emotionally, and spiritually, also known as Jing (physical) Qi (energy) and Shen (spirit).

For many years, my lower back was my quiet teacher. The pain wasn’t dramatic at first—just a dull ache that appeared when I was tired, stressed, or pushing myself too hard.

As winter settles in, the world grows quieter. The light softens, the pace slows, and nature turns inward. In Chinese medicine, winter is the season of the Water element, governed by the Kidneys—the keepers of our deepest vitality, or Jing.

Last winter, one of our students shared something many of us quietly feel this time of year. She had always loved running, but as the days grew colder, she noticed it was leaving her more depleted than energized.

As we get closer to the holidays, I find solace in the teachings that unite all religious and spiritual traditions: the celebration of the return of the light.

The returning of the light is not only from our sun, but the remembering of who we truly are, the spark of divine light that lives in our heart.

The winter water season is upon us! With this fresh snow and cold, long nights, the autumn metal season is now transitioning to the winter water season, according to Chinese medicine.

I've come to realize that there's a reason we have this day of Gratitude this time of year. Yes, for the harvest, but to keep our spirits lifted as the days are getting darker and colder.

A practice I've taken on when feeling stressed is to turn the stress around to what I'm grateful for in this situation. Last weekend, I had company visiting while teaching teacher training, and I could feel stress and overwhelm building. I noticed how taxing it was and quickly shifted the narrative in my mind from "I have to do all of this...." to "I GET to!"

As temperatures drop here in the Northeast, the seasonal transition from the autumn metal element to the winter water element is approaching quickly.

I recently spoke with an old friend I hadn't connected with in a while. I noticed they were caught in a fear loop, spinning lots of stories about 'what could happen if...' regarding all that's happening in the world and politics these days.

On my walk yesterday, I noticed the spirit of this autumn season play out in front of me. Each season, according to Chinese medicine, has a spirit, or consciousness that is alive in the collective. During this autumn, metal season, the spirit is called P'o. P'o is nature's intelligence to survive.

Breath work is one of the quickest ways to release emotions and energy that may be blocking our integrity or discipline. When we regulate our breath, we regulate our emotions. When our emotions are stable, we can feel courageous enough to start a new discipline or return to one that we know benefits us — and stick with it.

As the weather gets cooler and the days shorter, there's a sense of contraction. We witness this in nature as energy draws inward to preserve for the winter ahead. Knowing this intuitively motivates us to increase our level of discipline to keep to the practices that keep us strong, flexible, calm, and centered.

Yesterday, I ended a class with breathwork. Afterwards, a student commented that she feels much more emotionally stable after we do breathwork. "Yes," I responded, "When we regulate our breath, we regulate our emotions."

Since last week, I've received feedback from many students about their chronic pain and anxiety. They've shared how simple chi gong movements, combined with yoga and meridian breathing, have helped alleviate both physical and emotional issues.

Yesterday, I met a new student who has recently retired and is filling her days with activities and hobbies, but she shared with me that she feels a bit empty.

Yesterday in class, we were holding our standing poses for a minute each, which is no joke. While holding triangle pose and breathing deeply, I was adjusting a new student who was shaking in the pose. I reminded her that shaking is beneficial, as it helps build strength and improve the flow of chi (energy).

The Earth Element time of year is when it is easiest to fortify the spleen and stomach meridians. These energy pathways nourish the organs, allowing us to feel grounded as our energy flows in a harmonious rhythm.

After class the other day, we were discussing what drives us to practice yoga regularly. I was inspired to hear several yogis who started in their 50s and 60s say how much more they enjoy life when they practice just a couple of times a week.

One of my favorite aspects of this time of year, during the Earth element, is the feeling of contentment and being comfortable in my skin. When I feel insecure and over-worry about something, I know that my earth chi (energy) needs tending to.