Seasonal Activity: Turner in January

On the power of seasonal rituals, mindful noticing and creative dates in Winter❄️

One of my favourite things about living seasonally is the comfort of ritual, especially in the darker half of the year. These seasonal traditions can be tiny, homely and personal to you, such as making a coffee at home in your most warming Winter mug, or lighting your favourite scented candle when you begin to write. They might have almost ceremonial importance in your family, like making a particular meal for an annual gathering, or baking a specific cake for every birthday. These rituals might relate to the natural world - such as visiting a particular spot for forest bathing every Winter or the tradition of foraging once a certain milestone has passed, like collecting silver birch sap once its leaves start to emerge.

If you live in the city like me, it might involve visiting a specific cultural spot, gathering or exhibition relating to that time of year as well. In the ever-complicated and often scary world we live in, I believe the importance of these rituals - big and small - can’t be over-stated, especially in the cold, dark months. So today I’m sharing one of my favourite January rituals here in Edinburgh, with some mindfulness prompts to help you to slow down and engage with a creative ritual of your own.