Healing Seasonal Affective Disorder
For those of you living in the northern latitudes there's a good chance you’re familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. This form of depression tends to sneak in around the change of seasons, often mid-autumn, when the sun weakens. For many, it can linger well into spring, long after the days begin to lengthen again. Some people know SAD as the ‘Winter Blues’.
Supporting yourself energetically during the fall and winter months, when seasonal affective disorder can surface, means addressing the way shorter days and colder weather disrupt your natural energy flow.
In this post, I explore seasonal affective disorder from an energetic perspective and share practical tips, such as energy healing practices, breathwork, movement, and mindful habits, to help you keep both your energy and spirits uplifted through these seasonal shifts.
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder from an Energetic Perspective
From an energetic perspective, what is occurring when a person is experiencing SAD? To understand this we must understand the important role of the Sun in our daily lives.
If you’re familiar with my blog, you’ve probably heard me throw around words like prana or life force. Whatever name you call it by... it all comes from the Sun. In the biz, we call this Solar Prana. It radiates down to Earth, shining on everyone.
Solar Prana is absorbed in a variety of ways. When solar prana is absorbed by the ground, it then turns into Ground Prana. Our body absorbs these larger particles, and they serve as a powerful source of energy that nourishes and strengthens the legs, muscles, joints, and physical vitality.
Next we have air prana, which is accessed through the simple act of breathing. It is absorbed through our body and sent to every major chakra, and thus every system of our body is nourished and sustained with this life giving prana. Hence life force.
The trees have it interesting… they absorb energy from the Sun, the Earth/Ground and Air. Tree prana is therefore a combination of all three types of life force. They heal us, they nourish us, and they ground us. What would our world be like without them?
That’s a brief overview on how the Sun works and moves energetically through our Earth and our energy bodies.
Another important principle is understanding that for anything to simply be alive, it needs life force. Without life force, the dying process occurs. To expand on this principle, for anything to not only be alive, but to THRIVE, to be healthy and at its best, it needs life force. That includes our mind, our bodies … and a seed thought for you... our finances, and goals as well. This will be a topic I'll cover in another post.
How Seasonal Changes Affect Your Energy
Bringing it all together - when our autumn season occurs, the solar prana in that particular region becomes less.
Even though the Sun is technically physically closer to us at this time of year, we here in the Northern Latitudes experience shorter cooler days that continue this way often for months. With less solar prana for our bodies to absorb, it’s natural that some people are going to feel a bit sleeper, or want to slow down.
Or, in the worse case scenario, start to experience SAD.
Interested in learning more?
Step into a new way of seeing as you discover how to perceive prana, the subtle life force flowing through the air, trees, and earth, and experience the natural world in a whole new light. Be the first to experience this upcoming course launching this fall—enter your email to get notified!
Tips To Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder
What if we could support ourselves energetically through this seasonal challenge?
One powerful way to do that is by working with our breath and our Navel Chakra.
How to work with your breath & Navel Chakra
The Navel Chakra plays a vital role in keeping our physical body strong, resilient, and full of life force, or prana. Located at the belly button (slightly above what many refer to as the Sacral Chakra), this energy centre acts like a reservoir for vitality. By intentionally building and storing prana here through regular breathwork and practice, you strengthen your entire system. Over time, your body learns to draw on this reservoir, whether you’re recovering from illness, facing fatigue, or navigating seasonal emotional shifts like SAD. This is just one of the many ways this energy centre can support our healing and vitality through the darker months.
Navel Chakra Breath Practice
Note: If you know you’re someone who gets SAD, please start practicing this exercise in the Summer, or in the early beginnings of Autumn. This is not mandatory, it just gives you a running start to ward off SAD.
This technique is best practised after meditation, a time when we naturally hold an abundance of prana in the aura. That being said, if you don’t meditate, the technique is still highly effective on its own.
You can do this exercise either sitting or standing. For this particular breathwork practice, avoid using any mudras or hand positions. If you’re seated, simply rest your hands on your knees with your palms facing upward.
Navel Breathing Exercise Technique
Start by bringing your awareness to your navel, the area around the belly button. (Note: the Navel Chakra is located at the belly button, just above what many refer to as the Sacral Chakra.)
Begin to breathe deeply and naturally from the belly. Don’t worry about counting; just allow your breathing to flow in and out smoothly and evenly. Keep the body relaxed and comfortable. Let the breath be simple.
As you breathe, gently keep your awareness on the navel area. Continue in this way for up to 10 minutes. If you’d like, you can include a short pause at the top of the inhale and at the bottom of the exhale.
It would look like this:
Place your awareness on your navel chakra.
Inhale as much as is comfortable. Hold.
Exhale comfortably. Hold.
Inhale. Hold.
Exhale. Hold.
If your energy feels especially low, this exercise can be done daily until your system begins to normalize.
When energy levels have been depleted for a long time, the body may absorb prana very quickly at first, like a sponge, using it to heal, recharge, and restore balance. Be patient. It may take time to feel the full effects, but with regular practice, you’ll begin to notice more vitality and stability returning.
If you experience dizziness, discomfort, or pain while doing this exercise, stop and rest. Individuals with blood pressure conditions should approach this practice with extra caution.
If you prefer audio, here is a recording to help guide you through the Navel Breathing Exercise:
Other Tips To Support Yourself During SAD
Beyond breathwork, it’s also important to support your system in other key ways: get enough movement and exercise, prioritize quality rest, drink clean water, and nourish yourself with foods rich in prana, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and sprouts. If possible, increase your exposure to natural sunlight. If that’s not available, consider using a light therapy lamp in your home or workspace. Other modalities, such as acupuncture, can be very effective in treating SAD. If needed, please talk to your doctor as well.
As the seasons shift, nurturing your inner energy becomes essential. This Navel Chakra breath practice is a gentle but powerful way to reconnect with your life force, restore balance, and build resilience.
If this resonates, try the practice daily for a week and notice how you feel. And if you’d like support along the way through energy work, meditation, or coaching, I’d love to connect.
Let’s bring more light and energy into your life, no matter the season.
Eryn
