Slight Snow: 20th Seasonal Node (November 22 – December 6, 2025)
November 22, 2025 marks Slight Snow, the 20th of the 24 solar terms and the second of the winter season. At this time, the Sun reaches 240° celestial longitude. Yin continues to deepen and the first signs of winter become more noticeable. The energy of this season mirrors nature’s downward movement.
During Slight Snow trees continue to gather their life force down into the roots, grounding their energy deep in the earth for a season of rest. The theme of slight snow is grounding.
What’s Happening in Nature
• Temperatures drop and the air gets drier
• Light, early snowfalls become possible
• Rivers and ponds begin to thinly crust with ice
• Trees continue to store energy in their roots
Psycho-Emotional Shifts
Over the next fifteen days, the cold becomes more noticeable. Even without snow, you can feel winter settling in.
When it gets cold, we instinctively tighten up. Our shoulders rise, our muscles contract and we brace against the cold. That tension also slows the movement of Qi and weakens our immunity.
In Chinese medicine, winter is linked with the emotion of fear. The subtle tightening the body does when it feels vulnerable is the same contraction we feel in the cold. It’s the reason winter can feel heavier on the mind and we can get the winter blues. Staying tense for months can drain our energy and our resilience.
The way to counter this is with warmth and simple comforts. Bring more heat and light into your days. Warm soups, hot tea, soft blankets, self care and time with friends and family. Practicing Tai Chi & Qi Gong is ideal since it's gentle and meditative. Find activities that make you laugh or feel lighter, anything that softens the body and warms the heart.
This is a good time to:
• Rest more
• Create warm, cozy spaces at home
• Practice Tai Chi & Qi Gong
• Protect your feet, lower back, ears and neck from cold
Self-Care Tip:
A warm nightly foot bath continues to be a powerful practice. Warmth travels through Kidney 1 on the sole of the foot and moves upward absorbing into the internal organs, connective tissue, muscles and bones. Once you start to sweat a little, you can stop, at that point the warmth has fully saturated the entire body.
Seasonal Diet (Five Element Nutrition)
In winter, the best method of cooking is low and slow. Long-simmered soups, crock pot meals, roasts, stews and broths. This makes food easier to digest and is more internally warming. Here's a few foods you can add to your diet to support our health during this time.
Warming Foods
Sweet potatoes
Pumpkin and winter squash
Carrots
Oats
Leeks
Scallions
Mustard greens
Meat
Lamb - considered most warming
Excellent for cold hands and feet, fatigue, deep winter chill
Best in small amounts and not daily
Beef - moderate warming
Best cooked slow (stews, soup)
Eat in moderation, a few times a week is plenty
Chicken - warm but light
Gentle warmth
Easy on digestion
Can be eaten more often
Herbs & Spices
Ginger, fresh or dried
Cinnamon
Star anise
Clove
Cardamom
Moistening foods:
Pears
Apples
Figs
Pomegranite
Black sesame seeds
Walnuts
Honey
Goji berries
Teas
Black tea is the tea of winter. It removes the cold and warms the kidneys
Ginger tea
Cinnamon tea
Licorice tea
Best to Avoid
Cold foods
Raw salads
Smoothies
Iced drinks
Excess sugar
Heavy, fried foods
Closing Reflection
Winter is a season that naturally encourages comfort, self care, nourishment and moments that warm the heart. Find ways to bring some more warmth into your life.
Even in the cold its also good for us to get outside for some movement. Long walks in nature is a great way to reduce winter stagnation. Just be sure to dress properly.
Winter also gives us the chance to slow down, reflect and replenish our energy. Just like sleep is part of our daily rhythm, rest is part of our yearly cycle. When our lifestyle and activities are in resonance with the energy of the season we support our health and better balance the emotions. This rest creates the strength we’ll need for the rising energy of spring.
Next Season: Great Snow – December 7, 2025
