The Return of the Sun

Winter solstice is upon us…

Winter Solstice and Integral Health                                         

Our bodies are attuned to the seasons and to Mother Earth, whether we are aware of it or not.  At the winter solstice in northern climates there is the least amount of daylight.  Many people suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) due to lack of sunlight exposure.  Remedies include purchasing full-spectrum lighting, so our bodies receive the necessary photonic energies and full spectrum of sunlight.

There are many forces and elements of the universal flow that we are mostly unaware of in our daily lives but are very much a part of the intricate interplay of life and nature.

 Integral Health always looks at the foundation of our being – that is why the spiritual (subtle energy) is so important to the whole of our health.  As the winter solstice is near, emphasize a walk outside when possible, in full sunlight to feel its soothing effects on your body and mood.  In fact, allowing 10 minutes of direct sunlight on your forehead (sixth chakra or brow center chakra), is very energizing.

Going Within

‘Tis the season, that time of the year when we celebrate the holidays, marked by the Winter Solstice (December 21 this year, when the sun in the northern hemisphere is southernmost point of least daylight hours).

We are attuned to the seasons biologically, through that has been muddied a bit with the advent of technology, artificial light and absence of being more in natural settings.

Going within is a metaphor for the completion of the harvests, leaves falling, less daylight, and cooler temperatures.  It is you and I divesting what may have served us but is no longer needed nor useful.  It is a time not just for inventory and focusing on the inner qualities.

It is also a time of preparing to receive the new light, the new day, and we celebrate this with the warmth of love family, friends and get closer to nature.   In this holiday season, set aside time for yourself and be as receptive to receive love as to give love.

Expanded Horizons

The Cube and the Sphere                                     

Pakal Votan was the leader of the great Mayan city-state of Palenque (Southern Mexico, 603-683 CE).  You may recognize his image on the sarcophagus lid popularized in books and TV, thought to be piloting a spaceship of some sort.

I have taken seekers on journeys to the land of the Mayans many times (and will do so again in the Fall of 2025), including Pakal’s tomb in Palenque.  His tomb was discovered by archeologist Alberto Ruz in 1952. 

Pakal was a very spiritually awakened individual.  He was interred and adorned with over 400 pieces of jade, a semi-precious stone of great spiritual value to the Mayans.  In his right hand was a jade cube.  In his left, a jade sphere.

 Many have interpreted the deeper meaning of why the spiritual leader of a very evolved people would be holding a cube and a sphere.  To me, it means that when we are born we have “edges,” (the cube) and that we must through our life polish the cube to remove the rough edges of our being.  By doing so we reveal the perfect sphere of our being, with no edges.

I’ve never met anyone who did not appreciate being acknowledged or receiving a compliment.  Even one of my main teachers, when being acknowledged, would say “thank you.”

 On a deep level we all seek approval and validation for who we are and what we do.   When it comes down to it, we also seek to live a meaningful, relevant and productive life.

 A positive thing I’ve always done with my students:  I would tell them, “Each day, find at least one person and tell them something you really like about them.”  Can you imagine someone you know approaching you and saying the same in acknowledgment?

 When someone acknowledges you, recognizes you, “sees” you, allow yourself to fully receive the blessings of the compliment.  It points to our own inner preciousness, uniqueness and the gifts that we offer to the world.  And perhaps you can find someone each day to say something you really like about them!

Personally, I like the term “aura” to describe the field of energy that interpenetrates the human being, but the popular scientific-sounding term today is “biofield.”  Integral Health means to include the subtle energy spiritual aspect of the Whole Human Being (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual).

 That is problematic, because the term “subtle energy” describes a non-quantifiable aspect of our being (not limited to time or space) that still represents the uniqueness of our being.  For many years, the terms aura and biofield were thought to be junk science, but now there is such body of science showing its existence as to be irrefutable.  Instruments like the GDV (Gas Discharge Visualization) and Biofield Viewer, are two of many devices that indirectly access and measure the human biofield for clinical purposes.

 Your Integral Health practitioner is well-versed in this understanding of the biofield and its seamless interaction with these four archetypes.  In fact, real functional medicine, by definition, must include this understanding.

 In choosing an Integral Health practitioner, ask them their understanding of the human biofield so you can be sure they are addressing the fullness of your being

At this writing, we are approaching the autumnal equinox (September 31); that time of the year when the sun on its northward journey passes over the equator.  This is the moment when there are equal hours of day and night.  And, as the sun passes further north towards the December Solstice (Winter in the northern hemisphere, Summer in the southern hemisphere) where we in the north experience the shortest amount of daylight.

Ancient cultures around our planet embraced the changing of the seasons, not just for agriculture but for the energies that these seasons.  Yes, ancient cultures were aware of the subtle energies behind the physical changes in the seasons, and they would adapt their consciousness for that season.

• Fall – a time when the completion (leaves) have done their work and no longer needed

• Winter – a time of going within, conserving energy, contemplation

• Spring – a time of bursting forth with renewal of vigor and life

• Summer – the fruiting of our endeavors

Integral Health embodies our energetic relationship with the Earth and her seasons.  As we align ourselves to those seasons, we nest ourselves in the natural rhythms of the cosmos.  Pay attention to the season and her gifts and feel that inner alignment

Enjoy the fruits of your labors.  We are here to be happy and fulfilled.  As you apply the simple ideas in this blog, your presence in the world can inspire others to live their passion and accept value for themselves, both as unique individuals and as seekers.