Are You Depleting Your Energy This Winter?

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.

Her body felt tight, her recovery slower, and I remember her saying,

“Lately it feels like I’m pushing through winter instead of moving with it.”

So she paused her running routine and began a steady qigong and yoga practice instead.

At first, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Qigong doesn’t have the loud, signature efforts our culture often celebrates. There’s no pounding heart, no burning muscles demanding proof that something “big” is happening. Qigong works in a quieter language: breath, softness, warmth, presence.

At first, the practice felt simple… almost quiet. But over the next few weeks, something beautiful happened. She shared with me that she began to feel deeply warmed from within. Her joints softened. Her breath steadied. Her sleep deepened. Her mood grounded. And then she told me:

“Running felt like spending energy. Qigong feels like I’m building it.”

From a physiological perspective, this makes sense. Winter naturally tightens tissues, slows circulation, and places stress on our nervous and immune systems. Qigong supports warmth, breath, flow, and calm—helping us feel nourished rather than drained.

And energetically, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is the season of deep restoration and protection of our vital life force. Qigong honors that rhythm. It helps us cultivate steadiness, inner warmth, and quiet strength.

Hope to breathe with you soon.

From my heart to yours~

Namaste,

Maggie