Winter can seem harsh. And yet, sparseness, the bare branches, offer richness and reward if we tune in to them.
I invite you to spend some time walking amongst trees over the next few weeks. I encourage you to listen to the crunch of frost beneath your shoes, smell the damp leaf litter as it’s crushed and softened, breathe in the cool air and touch the hard, withered branches.
It’s not just about seeing the bareness as a reminder of the abundance to come but, instead, about being truly present to the emptiness. To the dry black twigs. Look and feel into what it might mean to be fully stripped away.
When all is emptiness, when the field is barren, the soil clear, what can be planted? It is not about the act of doing but of considering: what you would like in abundance come the summer?
The wheel of the year sees Imbolc ( 1-2 February 2026) and Ostara ( 20 March 2026) as the turning point for Spring. The winter months (Yule) post harvest, are for rest as well as planning. They are a time for reflection, a turning inwards of energy as opposed to a flow outward. What inner work can be done, what roots can be embedded, what can be released?
As 2026 begins, I feel joy at the friendships made and connections deepened last year as well as gratitude for all the wonderful experiences had and shared. I say a soft thank you for the relationship that has come along and surprised me as well as for the creativity, connection and care that fills so my life.
Looking ahead, I feel determination around the work I would like to do and also openness to the changes that, inevitably, happily, lie ahead. This winter, for me, is about an increasing letting go of second guessing the future and a deepening of my ability to be here, now, in this moment, with however I am feeling and with deep gratitude for whatever comes next.
Some recommendations below
Kink spaces
Little Blue Door – London dungeon, well equipped, centrally located and reasonable. Shower, kitchenette and bed make it good for overnight stays and numbers are not restricted so parties can be enjoyed.
The Fetish Studio – dungeon studio located in Reading. Very inaccessible, as the studio is at the top of a very steep set of stairs, but is a well equipped space that can accommodate over night stays. The hand-pull winches and bars are a joy.
Books
Winter is the time for a tome. Here are some of my favourite very long books.
The LA Quartet – James Ellroy
Kristin Lavransdatter –
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel
Infinite Jest – David Foster Wallace
Art exhibitions
Picasso at Tate Modern
Radical Impressionism at the National Gallery
Peter Doig at the Serpentine
