A Gentle Guide for Souls
Here in Ontario, we know the shift well: the way the light starts to disappear earlier and earlier until suddenly it’s dark by 4:30 or 5 p.m., the way the air carries that damp, rainy chill, and how the lack of sunlight creaks its way into our bones and our mood. Seasonal depression is real. Low vitamin D is real. That heavy, quiet loneliness that sneaks up on us this time of year is real.
But the beautiful thing is that support is also real. Care is real. And joy even the gentle, subtle kind is always available to us. We just need to learn how to reach for it in different ways.
This season isn’t here to punish us. It’s here to teach us how to soften, how to turn inward, and how to nourish ourselves in deeper, slower, more intentional ways.
Let’s talk about how we can help ourselves through it.
1. Let the Light In — Literally & Spiritually
When the sunlight fades, we have to become more deliberate about how we bring light back into our lives.
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Vitamin D: This is a big one in Ontario. Our bodies simply don’t get enough from the fall to early spring, and low levels can directly impact mood and energy. A daily supplement can make a noticeable difference.
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Light therapy lamps: Try sitting with one for 20–30 minutes in the morning. It signals your brain to wake up, brighten, and regulate mood.
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Spiritual light: Bring in candles, warm lamps, fairy lights. Create tiny pockets of glow. Your nervous system responds to warmth and softness more than you think.
Light isn’t just a physical thing it’s an experience you can create.
2. Warm Nourishment for the Soul + Body
When it’s cold and rainy, comfort becomes medicine.
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Teas like chamomile, ginger, cinnamon, peppermint, or a warm chai can shift your emotional temperature. They bring grounding, warmth, and a sense of ritual.
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Foods such as:
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Soups + stews
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Root vegetables
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Oats
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Dark leafy greens
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Healthy fats
These stabilize mood and support your body’s natural winter rhythm.
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And don’t forget warming spices turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom all beautiful for balancing the body during darker months.
3. Move Your Body Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
Winter makes us want to curl up and hibernate, and that’s natural. But gentle movement is one of the fastest ways to shift stagnant energy.
It doesn’t need to be intense:
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Stretching in bed
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A 10-minute walk (even indoors)
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Dancing in the kitchen
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Yoga
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Somatic movement for 20–30 second intervals
Movement keeps your energy from sinking into heaviness.
4. Connection: Your Heart’s Lifeline
Isolation in winter can creep in quietly and quickly especially when it’s cold, rainy, and dark before dinner. This is why connection is medicine.
If it’s something you’re able to do, try finding time to visit friends, join a group, or create your own little weekly ritual.
Personally, this is something that has made such a difference for me. I recently started meeting once a week with two beautiful souls I’ve come to love and know through my Reiki practice women who began as clients and have quickly become dear friends. We get together to move our bodies, do little exercises, chat, laugh, sometimes stretch or do yoga, sometimes just sit and talk about life.
These moments remind me that connection doesn’t need to be big or planned it just needs to be real. And in the middle of winter, real connection can feel like its own kind of sunlight.
Even one hour with people who feel good for your spirit can shift your entire week.
5. Support Your Spiritual Body Too
Fall and winter are portals for introspection. Your spirit might feel quieter, but it’s not absent it’s calling you inward.
Try:
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Meditation (even 5 minutes)
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A daily tarot pull
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Reiki or energy work
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Breathwork
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Journaling
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Moon or seasonal rituals
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Gratitude practices
These anchor you when the external world feels dim.
6. Honour the Slowness Instead of Fighting It
Winter is not meant to be high-energy or fast-paced. It’s a season designed for rest, reflection, and softer living.
Let yourself enjoy the simple joys:
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Cozy blankets
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Slow mornings
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Warm drinks
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Baths
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Reading
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Baking
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Music
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Silence
Joy doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes the quiet version is the most healing.
7. Know When It’s More Than “Just Winter Blues”
Seasonal depression is valid and deserves support. If you feel:
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persistently low
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unmotivated beyond the usual
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emotionally disconnected
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deeply tired
There’s absolutely no shame in reaching out for help. You’re human in a dark season that affects millions.
Final Thoughts: Winter Doesn’t Take Joy Away — It Changes the Way We Access It
Joy in the colder months is different.
More subtle.
More intentional.
More intimate.
But it’s still there in your connections, your rituals, your warm drinks, your breath, your movement, your moments of light, and the love you allow yourself to receive.
The darkness only asks that you look for joy in new places.
And when you do, you’ll find it often waiting quietly, right beside you.
With Love and Gratitude;
Kris
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