This post is in response to a question I often get asked and that is “what are the winters like in Bulgaria?” Well you get a proper winter in Bulgaria because it benefits from the influence of the continental climate and the old air that flows south from Russian and Ukraine.
Now I see this as a positive thing because for me this is all part of reconnecting with our seasonal rhythms within the annual cycle of life on earth. In the winter months the days are shorter and the temperature colder so we naturally slow down and spend more time inside beside the fire.
Just as we physically focus on activities inside, it follows that we also do this physiologically as well, becoming more introspective and thoughtful. Naturally it follows that our spiritual energy is turned within and all three together mean we go through a period of regeneration.
This is an aspect of life which I believe has been lost in the commercial consumer culture of the west where the working week is maintained consistently the same all year round and the pressure to earn enough money to pay the bills is unrelentingly inflexible. This is why so many people now feel the draining affects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), because their bodies are telling them they should not be so active at this time of year.
Meanwhile winter days in Bulgaria are something to be enjoyed and appreciated, with the sky only really cloudy when more snow is on its way. When its not snowing the sun is out in the blue sky and it can be really quite warm, despite the coating of white powder on everything. Anyone who skies in one of the resorts in Europe will be familiar with this.
It is a stark comparison to the grey days experienced in the UK where the seasonal weather temperatures rarely change much more than ten degrees either way. Although, strangely I feel the cold far more in the UK than I do in Bulgaria, its a different kind of cold. Despite it being measurably colder it does not actually feel that way, not least because the sun is still shining.
The photograph above was taken on a trip into the mountains to check on our herd of horses, which rome free, grazing throughout the meadows and woodlands surrounding the village. At the time we had three horses forming part of a herd combining with two other neighbours. Meanwhile, the image below requires no explanation 😉
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