The Body’s Yule: Ancient Rituals for Modern Nervous Systems

As we move deeper into December, many people notice a familiar shift inside themselves. There is a softening. A desire to cocoon. A natural pull toward warmth, rest, gentleness, and a slower pace. Long before the modern holiday rush shaped this season, these impulses were understood as part of Yule. It was a time when communities slept longer, shared warm meals, gathered by firelight, and allowed their bodies to follow the rhythm of the dark.

What is interesting is that our biology has not evolved away from this older wisdom. Seasonal changes influence our mood, circadian rhythm, and stress patterns in ways we are often not consciously aware of. The National Institutes of Health outlines this connection between seasonality and human physiology for those who enjoy understanding the science behind it:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770704/

So when you feel more tired, sensitive, overwhelmed, or introspective, it is not a personal failing. Your system is in a seasonal conversation with the world around you.

Evergreens, Candlelight, and the Body’s Sense of Safety

Winter traditions may look simple on the surface, yet they are deeply regulating. The scent of cedar or pine, the steady green of an evergreen branch, the glow of a single candle in a dim room. These cues have been part of human winter life for thousands of years. They offered continuity during long nights and a sense of warmth when sunlight was scarce.

This also aligns with what we know about nervous system regulation. Predictable sensory experiences help the vagus nerve settle. This is at the heart of Kendall’s work in Somatic Experiencing and polyvagal informed therapy, which draws from teachers like Deb Dana and Stephen Porges. Their work explores how gentle signals of safety shift a system from vigilance to rest. A readable overview is here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8063140/

A quiet moment with a candle or even placing warm hands over the heart can begin to change the internal experience of the day.

Winter is not a season asking for productivity. It is a season inviting softness.

Old Wisdom, Modern Life

Yule was a time when people gathered close, shared warm drinks, cooked nutrient rich foods, and moved through their days more intentionally. These practices were not about luxury. They were about resilience.

Warm, grounding meals help stabilize blood sugar which supports emotional steadiness. Time with trusted people releases oxytocin which softens the stress response. Less stimulation gives the brain a chance to reset. These are not abstract ideas. They are things you feel in your actual lived body.

Light is another powerful part of this season. Morning daylight is one of the strongest anchors for a regulated circadian rhythm. Even ten minutes outside shortly after waking can support cortisol balance and improve sleep later in the evening. There is a helpful explanation of this relationship between light and mood here:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

This is why the slow lengthening of days after the Winter Solstice touches something deep in us. Even a small increase in light begins to change our energy and clarity.

Yule lives inside these simple truths. The body knows how to settle when we give it the conditions it recognizes.

How We Support This Seasonal Shift

Our work at the clinic is built around this understanding that winter asks something different from the body. It asks us to pay attention. To slow down. To reconnect with the parts of ourselves that get buried under urgency.

Kendall

Kendall works with Somatic Experiencing, polyvagal guided nervous system work, and hands on fascial therapy. Her sessions help unwind long held tension, soften survival patterns, and create more capacity for presence. Many clients describe this work as a gentle return to themselves.

Shylo

Shylo offers acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the TCM view, winter is connected with deep restoration and building reserves. Her treatments support digestion, sleep, hormones, emotional steadiness, and the sense of grounding that many people crave this time of year.

Danielle

Danielle offers therapeutic massage and fascial focused bodywork. Her work releases muscular tension, improves circulation, reduces pain, and supports calmness in the nervous system. It is especially helpful during winter when the body tends to contract from cold and stress.

Each modality speaks to the same message. Slow down. Warm up. Feed your system well. Let yourself be supported by the season you are in.