Cure for the winter blues

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I have been dreading the winter like it was the end of the world. I am living under extreme conditions, so it is no wonder. But still, I do not like feeling so sh1tty, so, just for a change of perspective, I sat down to make myself a list of reasons to celebrate winter. I hadn’t even got one reason put down on my list before I ended up all over the internet trying to comprehend what winter actually is. Which brought me to the winter solstice, and how the word ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin words ‘sol’ (sun) and ‘sistere’ (to stand still) - so named because at the solstices the sun appears to stand still before it resumes it’s journey north or south. The winter solstice represents the longest night, and from that point on the days start to gradually get longer, until the summer solstice, and the longest day, which then the days start to shorten till the winter solstice and the longest night, then the days start to lengthen… ad infinitum. So, to my way of thinking winter is already over!! Hahahaha! On my calendar it says it has only just begun! I feel like laughing at them like they did at the archeologists who were ‘digging in the wrong place!’ Of course, I could just be pretty stoned. I sure wish I could see a 3D demonstration of all that rotating, revolving, orbiting, and lateral offsetting! Anyway, that reminded me of the breath, the way at the top of a breath there is a slight pause before the air completes it’s journey back to the same point it came in, and then another pause before a new breath comes in, pause, out, pause, in… ad infinitum. So now I am thinking of winter as the out-breath of some gigantic, magnificent living creature on whose back I ride, hehehe. Or the out-breath of my very own life. Nothing wrong with that actually… the out-breath feels just as good as the in-breath! Therefore, to my way of thinking, that means that it is possible that winter could be just as joyful as summer... death just as delicious as Life. (In fact I would venture to say that there is no death, only the in-or out-breath of Life.) And surely that warrants being the first item on my 'reasons to celebrate winter' list... 1). It's the (out)Breath of Life! But the true gem I got from all that was this tidbit from Wikipedia on ‘Winter Solstice’ - that for sure has changed the course of my life (I am not kidding you!): [b] Therapeutic “Even in modern cultures these gatherings are still valued for emotional comfort, having something to look forward to at the darkest time of the year. This is especially the case for populations in the near polar regions of the hemisphere. The depressive psychological effects of winter on individuals and societies are for the most part tied to coldness, tiredness, malaise, and inactivity. Also, insufficient sunlight in the short winter days increases the secretion of melatonin in the body, throwing off the circadian rhythm with longer sleep. Exercise, light therapy, increased negative ion exposure (which can be attained from plants and well ventilated flames, burning wood or beeswax can reinvigorate the body from its seasonal lull and relieve winter blues by decreasing melatonin secretions, increasing serotonin and temporarily creating a more even sleeping pattern.” “Midwinter festivals and celebrations occurring on the longest night of the year, often calling for evergreens, bright illumination, large ongoing fires, feasting, communion with close ones, and evening physical exertion by dancing and singing are examples of cultural winter therapies that have evolved as traditions since the beginnings of civilization. Such traditions can stir the wit, stave off malaise, reset the internal clock and rekindle the human spirit.”[/b] So, as far as I can tell the cure for the winter blues is dancing around a raging fire, feasting like gods, and dancing like madmen. I imagine there would be other sorts of physical exertion occurring as well - under conditions like that ... and I have to say, SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!! I think it would definitely cure the winter blues! What do you think?