Winter is a time of fertile darkness when nature calls us to curl up, stay warm and direct our focus inwards. It’s a wonderful time for building a self-care routine, which restores our energy and nourishes us deeply.

So here’s my top 7 ways to Nurture and Nourish this winter!

1. Stay in and curl up with a book. When it’s just too chilly to get out, why not cuddle up with a blanket, a good book and a cup of herbal tea? Even if it’s a Friday night and you are suffering from FOMO there’s no shame on cancelling your plans and honouring your body’s needs for some quiet time. Oh and for all you high-achievers out there, remember, it’s not self-indulgent to spend some time reading for pleasure—it’s radical self-care, it feeds the soul and it will help you perform better in the long run.

2.Take a warm bath then go to bed EARLY. Nothing says radical self nurturing like a hot bath with your favourite, bath salts, essential oils or scrubs and an early night! My favourite bathtime boost is simply adding a couple tablespoons of organic coconut oil to the water (to hydrate dry winter skin) along with a few drops of eucalyptus (to help clear the sinuses) and lavender (to promote peacefulness). This is the perfect way to relax the muscles and soothe the mind read for a good long 8 hours sleep.

3. Take herbal tea everywhere. The cool weather can make you crave warm beverages and while I love coffee as much as the next person, I find that more than one cup a day is too over stimulating and dehydrating. My antidote to this is to take a nice thermal mug and herbal tea bags with me everywhere. I can top up with hot water on the go and make sure I stay hydrated with herbs, which support my immune system (my favourites are nettle, licorice root and lemon verbena). Having my favourite teas with me feels like a treat and will stop me running for a second cup of coffee.

4. Practice Metta (loving kindness) mediation. This practice is a staple in Buddhism as it is founded on compassion. It helps us cultivate our inner resources for compassion which can quell and negative feelings and nurture overall wellbeing

Take a comfortable seated position. Start by noticing your body, make any adjustments you need to make so you are comfortable (if you need to lie down- do so).

1. Imagine someone you love sitting in front of you; see them happy and free. Take about a minute to send loving kindness from your heart to theirs.

2. Next select a person, with whom you have a neutral relationship; see them sitting in front of you, see them happy and free. Take about a minute to send loving kindness from your heart to theirs.

3. Now choose someone with whom you have a challenging relationship, someone who you find difficult to love; see them sitting in front of you, see them happy and free. Take about a minute to send loving kindness from your heart to their.

To listen to an audio Metta Loving Kindness meditation click here.

5. Eat seasonal, real food. Nothing will nourish your body better this winter than, real local, seasonal foods. So ditch the processed stuff and anything with ingredients list you cant pronounce and nourish yourself instead with warming winter foods… think slow cooked stews, like osso bucco, hearty soups like chickpea noodle soup (my go-to recipe here), and shepherds pie. Get lots of veggies in there to boost your nutrients and make a double batch so you can heat up the left over’s for lunch the next day.

6. Take a winter yoga class.

Yoga is a seasonal practice and many practitioners offer workshops or class that specifically focuses on the body’s needs in winter. A winter practice is warming and boosts the immune system by stimulating the lymph glands and flow of lymphatic fluid to help the body fight winter bugs.

7. Get along to the Embrace Life Festival 

Held in many locations in NSW, here is a link and where we will be showcasing a wide variety of local natural therapy businesses, wellness practitioners, intuitive readers, music and stage performers as well as organic and natural products.

If there’s one thing that gets me all warm and fuzzy it’s community, sense of place and belonging. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful and safe part of the world and even luckier to have lots of ways to connect with like minded people in our local community.

So if health and wellness is your thing, get along to this beautiful boutique festival!

Kate Clugston is yoga teacher and mum based in Waverton, she runs Shambhala House of Yoga out of her living room where she teaches a practical and creative style of yoga that incorporates the ethical and philosophical teachings of this ancient practice.