I’m writing this hours after the Winter Solstice, cozy under blankets on the couch, the room lit by warm holiday lights. As always on this day I’m thinking about what it means to know that daylight will last a little longer every day until Summer Solstice, but the weather will get colder before the change in light seems to make a difference. I consider what seeds I’ll plant–botanical and metaphorical–and which will grow and thrive.
Not all seeds make it. Not all plans succeed.
“The grey of winter falls on us – How will our garden grow ? Will all the seeds we’ve sown Survive beneath the snow ?” – All About Eve, Wildflowers
I used to sing an a capella version of this song to close out The Violet Dawning sets. I think it sums up my feelings about this season well, despite being about a relationship. The uncertainty, the knowledge that growth or retreat can change everything and that’s natural but painful…but eventually there will be flowers. The sun will return, and even if everything’s different, change can bring beauty.
So what seeds am I considering?
I think it’s important to bring up my Word of the Year in this discussion because it expresses well what I’m looking to embrace in 2026 and beyond, if possible.
I chose EMBODIED as my Word of the Year. If you’re on my mailing list, you’ve read about this, but I’ll share it here too, both as a public record of my choice and an explanation.
What do I mean when I say “embodied?” There are a couple of ways to look at it, and I embrace them all. From the concept of embodied cognition:
“By using the term embodied we mean to highlight two points: first that cognition depends upon the kinds of experience that come from having a body with various sensorimotor capacities, and second, that these individual sensorimotor capacities are themselves embedded in a more encompassing biological, psychological and cultural context.” — The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience by Francisco J. Varela, Evan Thompson, and Eleanor Rosch, pages 172–173.
[Check out the Wikipedia article on this for a good overview.]
Embodied can also be defined as being the representative of a quality, or an idea. A good example would be referring to a dancer as the embodiment of grace. Or: to give body to a spirit, incarnate.
I want to be more present in my body, and experience more of the world through my body. Being ill has kept me away from being one with my senses like that as much as I’d like and my goal in 2026 is to change that, to the best of my ability. I also want to be even more in tune and aligned with my ethics and goals, in every way possible. I think I do a fairly good job of that but I know there’s always room to improve. And—I think the third meaning supports the first. I want to be a better home to my own spirit. I spend a lot of time feeling like a brain in a jar and I need to find a way to incorporate and incarnate my mind into my body so once again we are one.
I think some people with chronic illnesses might relate to this goal in some way or another.
What I want is to be more present, grounded, and ALIVE.
My plan is to be more intentional in what choices I make as far as going out, expending energy, choosing projects. I want to have more nature walks and visiting places that give me joy, because a lot of my life currently is spent in places not of my choosing. My living room is quite pleasant but I don’t want it to be my entire world. I need to visit doctors but it would be great to balance that with indie bookstores and farmers markets.
And I miss some of the creative pursuits that I used to enjoy, too. Spinning yarn, weaving, photography–those have all taken a back seat to just surviving, and using what energy’s left to write. I love writing with all my heart but I need other experiences in order to keep that writing fresh and lively.
Taking stock is important.
I don’t do resolutions. I don’t like the baggage around that word and concept. What I do enjoy is looking over my past year and taking stock of what successes I had and unfulfilled wishes I can move to next year or release. I’ll post that once I’ve compiled it, don’t worry. I think part of the process is showing that even in slower years, a lot happened!
In the span between now and the end of the year falls Christmas, my birthday, and New Years Eve. That’s a lot of time to review and assess. Look for another post talking about my numbers, conclusions, and what to look for in 2026 from me. Until then I hope that whatever you celebrate that it’s a lovely and restful and comforting time.
