Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

What are the benefits of adopting a cyclical as opposed to a chronological view of a lifetime? In your opinion and with close reference to the text, do you think this is a helpful approach to life?

Compare and contrast Nordic modes of winter and wintering with May’s native Southeast English ones. Why, from May’s perspective, does a Nordic winter seem easier to cope with? Do you agree with her?

Why are isolation and rejection key aspects of wintering? How can we work to overcome them, both as individuals and as a society?

How does Western culture’s continual promotion of positivity interfere with wintering? How does May show that this leads to poor mental health outcomes?

Discuss May’s attitude to folklore and religion. What can older, more spiritual communities teach a secular society about wintering?

What role do books and reading play in May’s experience of wintering? What is the significance of the texts she is drawn to?

Why is modern Western society’s disconnect with nature a key component of its inability to winter? What are the potentially devastating effects of this?

How does May describe her experiences of mothering and motherhood? How has her befriending of winter impacted how she parents her son?