NHP Advent Calendar 2024 | Seasons
Welcome to the NHP Advent Calendar 2024.
For the last 3 years we have shared an advent calendar with our community to share gifts of inspiration, reflection and insight in the run up to Christmas & New Year. This year we have decided to share it with our wider community on LinkedIn.
For 2024 we are playing with the idea of seasoning. And, of course, specifically wintering. We intend our daily message to be an invitation, springboard, seed, play thing for you to take seriously, reflect upon, discard as you wish. We always love to hear from you so if anything strikes, inspires or moves you get in touch or comment below.
Day 1 | Katherine May & Wintering
We have been inspired this year by Katherine May's book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.
Here May draws a parallel between nature’s approach to winter and how humans can handle difficult periods of life - emphasising the importance of adaptation and preparation.
Day 2 | Nigel Slater
“Seasoning is often a matter of instinct. Sometimes you get a hunch, sometimes you just know. No one can tell you what you should season with what; it is just that some things do work rather well - chicken with tarragon for instance - and it is worth taking note of such traditions. But you must also make up your own mind. You shouldn’t let anyone tell you what does with what but neither should you expect to reinvent the wheel.”
Day 3 | Kisetsukan
Kisetsukan goes hand in hand with gardening; both help us find beauty in the smallest of things, bringing a kind of everyday enlightenment.
Day 4 | The Gift of Reflection
How about if you could open up a gift that gave you clarity, fresh perspective, and a sense of capability?
Who wouldn't want that?
Well, here it is, it's the gift of reflection, and the hussle is we've just wrapped up something that you've already got.
Reflection isn't just a daydream or excuse to check out of what's going on for a bit.
It's a bonafide way of expanding your consciousness to help you get navigate life and get things done in an easier and clearer way.
One way of thinking about it is that we live in the equivalent of a glass lift, looking out at the world. Sometimes the lift seems to stick at ground level and we literally cannot see the wood for the trees.
If we could get the the lift to go up we'd be able to see the wood for what it was, the size of it, the density and we'd have a new and clear perspective on how to navigate it.
Reflection is one way of getting the lift to go up. When we reflect it's like we've taken our finger off of the 'doors open' button and the lift can go up.
As it happens we do it all the time without noticing; when we're walking the dog, making coffee, driving to work. It's like we've switched channel in our mind, or moved from staring hard to a more relaxed gaze to help us see more.
Once we've realised that's how it works it's effortless. We don't have to force our thinking to change, or even force ourselves to think differently. Reflection does that for us.
And if you're not sure how to reflect - there are lots of different ways, here's an experiment to run to help you get a feel for it...
Pick something you are passionate about (a hobby maybe)
- Make a list of what you know about it
- Then make a list of what you think about it
- Now make a list of what you're beginning to suspect about it
- Consider the differences between the output of the lists and how it felt to make each one.
For most people making the 3rd list is closest to reflection - it's expansive, light, and brings fresh or different perspectives.
Try it for yourself, we picked a hobby in the experiment to give you a fun thing to play with, but you could do this with anything. The key is to notice what it feels like to reflect so you can do it more easily.
Day 5 | Did Swallows Hide in Ponds?
It was once believed that swallows spent their winters on the Moon, or asleep on river beds.
A humorous reminder that not everything us the way it seems.
Maybe there is more to a story than we understand, or a different and game-changing perspective waiting to be realised.
What in your life could you see differently?
Curious? Read more here.
Day 6 | Song of the Week
Enjoy our winter song of the week.
Day 7 | Find A Winter Rainbow
It's easy to see winter as a time of cold and dark - where life hibernates and nothing grows.
But if we look beyond the surface, we discover that winter blossom blooms, berries burst out on holly trees and painted skies of orange, pink and everything in between.
Don't believe us - get outside and find your 'winter rainbow' and see what colour, life and inspiration awaits you.
Day 8 | Katherine May & Wintering
We've been inspired by Katherine May's "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times".
May explores the natural movement, transformation and resilience that is available to us when we tune in to the power of rest.
Day 9 | Tim Minchin & the joy, sorrow and love of Christmas
This one is for the southern hemisphere.
A brilliantly ridiculous, funny, heart warming and sorrowful song from Tim Minchin about togetherness, connection and love.
Every year, all proceeds from the sale of (either version of) this song during the months of November, December and January, go to an organisation which supports children and/or adults on the autism spectrum.
Day 10 | What more do you want? (For Christmas)
Brian Cox explores, in 30 seconds, the ultimate gift.
The gift of life and our ability to experience and enjoy it all.
Why do we want for any more than that?
Day 11 | Song of the week
Enjoy our winter song of the week.
Day 12 | Salt
The essence of life and margaritas
It's the foundation of seasoning, a few grains can make other flavours come to life, allowing them to shine and be noticed
You might say it has a transformative presence
We have that opportunity in every moment
What, or who, can you bring life to today?
Day 13 | Ged shares The Present of Presence
This present - is not just for Christmas
I remember someone telling me (as a witty or corny aside) that the reason we call this moment the present is because it’s the only present we will ever really need - or get!
When we are actually showing up in the present all of our past learning, our fresh thinking in this moment and our future imaginings organise themselves helpfully and effectively empowering us to handle whatever is occupying us.
We are perfectly designed for reality and being present to the present brings that reality into sharp focus enabling us to move forward with ease and grace.
This present is not just for Christmas but for life.
Day 14 | Let it snow
🎵Let it snow
Let it steam 🎶
🎵Let it rain
Water comes in many forms - which to the innocent eye appear to be entirely different entities. ‘Formless’ clouds, flowing rivers and solid snow are part of cycle that repeats eternally and delights or disappoints - depending on the opinion of the viewer.
Thought is like this.
At times our thoughts appear to be as solid as an iceberg and at other times they seem as insubstantial as a wisp of cloud in a clear blue sky.
So it’s helpful to remember that no matter how solid our thought may appear to us, just as icebergs melt, evaporate and return to the sky, so too with thoughts. Seemingly persistent they melt away and return whence they came.
So
🎵Let it snow
Let it snow 🎶
🎵Let it snow
Day 15 | Katherine May on Wisdom
Syd Banks said that the belief that wisdom takes time to find is one of the greatest fallacies on earth.
Wisdom is not learned, but it is unfolded from within.
Perhaps wintering, rest, taking a break and creating space are just some ways we can encourage that unfolding within ourselves.
Day 16 | Song of the week
This is a re-imagining...
The composer Vivaldi famous of course for his 4 seasons is now presumably decomposing…
Max Richter has taken inspiration in his re-composed version...
Day 17 | Donna Ashworth
"You may think yourself lazy, or flawed. Yet your body is made of almost exactly the same elements as the stars. Your bone composition matches the coral in the seas and you, my friend, are ruled by the moon and the sun. Whether you like it or not. So no, you are not lazy, Nature is simply pulling you to slow, like the life, floral and fauna around you. It is not your moment to rise. It is winter, you are wintering. And you are right on time."
Day 18 | What Lights You Up?
Have you ever noticed that when you notice something, you start to see it everywhere?
If you're shopping for a red car, suddenly there seem to be more red cars on the road. If you learn the name of a flower, suddenly that flower is in every garden you wander past.
Here's an experiment...
Find something coming to life or 'lighting up' this winter.
Maybe you'll find discover signs of new life within the winter hibernation.
Maybe it'll be something that lights you up and brings you joy.
If you look, you'll notice.
And if you notice, you'll get even more of it.
Day 19 | Too Much Garlic
The art of seasoning is balance the key is knowing when you've gone too far and have overwhelmed the dish with one flavour.
Garlic is a classic example. For most of us (even the garlic lovers!) there is a point of too much garlic where the flavour dominates and you lose the sense of everything else. Instead of harmony you have a dictatorship.
Our egos are more like garlic than you might think. They play a role in the human system, are a key ingredient in the mix, but are terrible as the star ingredient.
And just like too much garlic, it's really obvious to tell when you've overdone it.
When we've got extra ego in the mix we get urgent, frustrated, and out of balance.
Happily, unlike garlic, if our ego has got out of control, you don't have to throw the whole dish away, instead all you have to do is notice, and allow your mind to come back to its normal balanced state.
Day 20 | Seasonal Intentions
No sooner made than broken, it's clear that for many of us New Year's Resolutions are a nice idea that never really deliver lasting change or satisfaction.
Yet, there is something in our make-up about giving ourselves permission to grow, adapt and evolve, especially after a period of reflection.
I don't know about you, but when I open the floodgates there are load of things that I would like to tweak, add or subtract from my life that feel like they would help me with a goal or just help me live a happier, healthier life. Which is great, but at times feels so overwhelming I don't know where to start.
So instead of doing everything at once, and failing (!) I've spent the last couple of years playing around with seasonal intentions. So every season (which is around 90 days) I create a list of what I will do more of or start, and what I will do less of or stop. And because it's only for the season it feels really easy to implement.
For fun, I also pick out the cookbooks I want to cook from (I have a shelf of them but tend to navigate to the same few so this helps me expand my repertoire) and I create a playlist for the season which I add to.
I do a me version and a work version, because that really helps with projects too!
Sometimes the idea of 'forever' is so binary that I fail to get started, but the idea of in or out for a season is easy. And if I want more, it goes into next season too, and if not I've learned for the next season.
If you fancy playing along here are some questions for you for the period of 21st December to 21st March:
➖ What activities do you want to start or increase?
➖ What habits would you like to create?
➖ Anything for your health that you want to do more of?
➖ What would it be fun to have in your life that you don't right now?
➖ What do you want to introduce or do more of that would support your work?
➖ What activities would you like to do less of or stop?
➖ What habits would you like to dis-create?
➖ Anything for your health you want to do less of?
➖ What would you like to have out of your life that you currently have in it?
➖ What would you like to do less of or stop for this work season?
The point is not to tick off the days or beat yourself up when you get it wrong, but notice what happens when you put some things on the table, and take some off.
Day 21 | Turning Points
The moment itself of turning has no fanfare, no lightning bolt, no Linked In post of acknowledgement.
Instead the equinox is a culmination of tiny shifts that result in another tiny shift that results in a complete change of experience.
The effect of gravity is unmistakeable, so normal it is unnoticeable, yet the effect over time is clear for all to experience.
What if we too were designed to always be shifting towards turning points?
Day 22 | Self Heal Sprouts
Today is the start of the Japanese micro-season (kō) of 乃東生 Natsukarekusa shōzu or Self-Heal Sprouts.
As we near Christmas, plant your own seeds of self-healing with the gift of wintering, rest and reflection.
Just like a cut heals itself, so too do our minds.
But we can help it along.
Give it a clean, cover it up...or just leave it alone.
Day 23 | The Present of Transformation
As the year ends you may be turning your attention to what new thing you might do, be or accomplish in the new year. Maybe this looks daunting, maybe it looks hard.
Here's a gift.
You are a human being.
Beings are living, changing, evolving processes.
So that means you are too.
And as you are a process, an unfolding, a work in progress, then the possibility for change, renewal and transformation is ever-present (whether that's at the start of a new year, a period of uncertainty in your life, or a Monday morning).
In fact transformation is not even just a possibility but simply an inevitable truth. We are in a state of constant change.
So as we approach another New Year it might just be worth taking note of all the transformations you've been through this year (big & small, noticed & unnoticed).
And for next year - what would be amazing?
Try a dose of willingness, a dollop of intention and a dash of awareness and see where that gets you.
It might just take you further than you ever imagined.
Day 24 | Silent Night
A Favourite Carol for Christmas eve..
We hope you enjoyed our Advent Calendar exploring 'seasoning' this year.
And until next year - have a merry & joyful Christmas.