Bloom in Winter: Meditation & Creativity with Candace Rardon

This month, we have explored the season of winter as a way into our meditation practice. We have looked at winter in our external landscapes, as well as our internal landscapes. We've listened to the sounds of winter, we've talked about wolves and our animal nature, and today, we're going to dive a little bit more into the creativity of winter.I was deeply inspired by a recent essay written and illustrated by Candace Rardon titled, ‘Like A Garden in Winter’. Candace is an author, illustrator, visual storyteller, and creator of Dandelion Seeds (one of my favorite publications on Substack). She is also the creator of many of the sleep stories you might have listened to on Calm.Together, Candace and I chat about what it means to bloom in winter, the season of hibernation. We talk about finding inspiration and meditative moments in the world around us; the art of visual storytelling, what makes a good sleep story and so much more. This conversation was such a joy to record; I hope you find as much inspiration in it as I have.At the end of today’s interview, Candace offers us a mindful reflection and journaling prompt born of the beauty of Snowdrops. So grab your notebook, a cozy seat, and join us!In this episode:01:10 Exploring the Creativity of Winter03:12 The Art of Visual Storytelling03:49 The Journey of Moving Continents05:28 The Power of Collaboration in Creativity14:44 The Evolution of 'Like a Garden in Winter'23:42 Finding Strength in Winter: A Metaphor for Life24:35 Journey into Mindfulness through Travel and Art27:09 The Role of Creativity in Mindfulness30:35 The Magic of Sleep Stories41:05 Lessons from Winter Blooms44:26 The Joy of Spring: A New ChapterLearn more about Candace Rardon and her work here: https://www.candaceroserardon.com/https://dandelionseeds.substack.com/Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast#meditatewithmeryl