Can We Afford to Estivate Right Now? Do you want to? This is a repost of an article from last year. The content is still applicable, but I ask whether we can afford to estivate because as the climate (natural, political, etc) heats up to a level of intensity we rarely see, the question of prioritizing our time, attention, and care is increasingly urgent. Can we take time out?
Estivating is like hibernating but in summer. Rather than hunkering down in a cozy den to sleep through the winter, animals who estivate go into dormancy to survive hot, dry summers. Can you relate to this instinct to shut down until the weather (of all kinds) is less intense? It’s environmentally scorching outside: record temps, wildfires, hot oceans. It’s also emotionally scorching. Are there things happening now that make “your blood boil”?
Understanding our personal cycles and how we relate to the cycles of nature can help us weather inner and outer conditions that feel too intense to manage. Temperatures may be very hot or cold, there may be floods or droughts, periods of over excitement or stagnation. As we know from technology, a reboot can help us recalibrate and avoid malfunctioning. A rest and reset can help us adapt to current conditions and see new possibilities and solutions where none seemed possible before.
Ebb and Flow
I tend toward hibernation AND estivation, not for all of winter or summer, but for a few months in each. I have a high heat tolerance, but something changes in my energy and outlook in the deep summer months. My creativity and optimism often diminish. I’m not a fan of the cold, but over time I appreciate it more and find it less oppressive, especially in the generally mild climate where I live. I remind myself every year that those are not steady states; they ebb and flow. When dazzling fall arrives and spring brings everything to life, I feel more vibrant too.
Do you have seasonal changes like this? These shifts may not be that noticeable when life is going well. However, intensity or challenge can compound how we feel in the months when we are not feeling our best.
Self-Care and Collective Responsibility
Most of us do not have the individual luxury to hunker down in cozy climate-controlled dens for weeks or months when the conditions (atmospheric, political, cultural, physiological, interpersonal, etc.) don’t suit us. As citizens with responsibilities to one another, to those who come next, and to those with little power, like animals, we can’t afford to hole up and ignore the outside world, especially now.
I suggest as we are able, we each take time for mini estivations this season. A day, an hour, a few minutes if that’s all you have. Rest, reset, cool off. This season will pass and what we do now in the heat will make a big difference when winter comes.
©2025 Mara Bishop