Maximum Yin is Already Spring

I’ve said it elsewhere before, but I continue to be intrigued by the approach, arrival, and departure of the Winter Solstice as a period of maximum Yin (as far as daylight goes, anyhow). Meanwhile, in terms of temperature, the shortest day of the year is rarely the coldest day of the year. Light moves faster than the air, I suppose. It is interesting that there is an offset of these Wintry experiences of Yin (from the Northern Hemisphere).

While the shortest burst of daylight is reliably around December, 21st, the coldest temperatures often come flowing in during the weeks after the return to longer periods of daylight is well underway. Mid-January is a much more likely candidate for coldest stretch of the year, and often carries much more snowfall too. For the photo-sensitive, the depth of Winter is technically quite brief. For the temperature-sensitive, the depth of Winter is an enduring plateau. This thermal lag can make the Winter seem more dramatic than it truly is.

If you follow the light, the coldest days are truly but the beginning of the Spring.