There is a special sense of peace found in the repose of solitude; of turning within to find that still point. The act of circling back to reconnect with the essence that speaks volumes without a sound and offers answers without explanation is a simple, yet profound personal gesture. This return to center allows for surrendering to the moment and a willingness to listen to the silence—finding the focal point that remains.

Breath and heartbeat are constant, parallel flows that sustain life and circulate vital energy; a background rhythm offering restoration from a well of peace. Moving into winter’s remote landscape, this practice of mining our own depths can serve as a reference, perhaps unveiling truths, direction or just a glimmer of light to see the way forward.

In the tradition of honoring hearth health, February highlights include practices that tap into gratitude, self-reflection, discernment and higher guidance, all of which help to facilitate equanimity. Returning regularly to regroup and reset is an energizing—not passive, but reorganizing—effort that yields a balanced and wiser autonomy. We can change direction, welcome fresh insight, let go and begin again at a new, more helpful pace or perspective after even the slightest pause.

Refining our lives with the intent to regularly tune into the essence of our own being offers a built-in, sacred point of reference from which to consider why we are here and how we want to live each day. This grounded presence is the foundation for connecting with something larger than ourselves and brings the balance and clarity to enhance understanding and remind us of the interconnectedness of it all.

Caring for our multidimensional selves means accepting the complexities and implications of living as emotional beings by managing our energetic bodies and relationships with grace and patience. No small task, these efforts are supported by circling back again and again to the empowerment of gratitude and our hearts’ direct participation in soothing what can feel like an extremely wild ride. When we slow down and let love in, tiny shifts ripple out to create all that is possible, including everyday miracles and joy.

Our contributors this month offer various approaches to prioritize this focused reorientation of the moment. Mindful breathwork, daily hugs, safe therapeutic processes and even the precision of daily oral health all work for our highest good to provide gentle, yet committed attention to the details that matter. Honoring the value in what lies below the surface, whether in mind, body or spirit, we are able to approach choices and entertain the bigger questions with meaning and poise. Here’s to the spaces we nurture within and all the gifts that we may find there.

Namaste,

Jacqueline Mast and Kendra Campbell, Co-Publishers, Executive Editors