Many years ago, I made the decision to step away from the standard Christmas traditions. My adult children and I weren’t into the gift exchange and we had pretty much always despised the Holidays. It was always a time of too much, frantic energy, visit here, go there, and we just never felt good afterwards. I love the decorations but hate the part of taking everything down, so I got rid of all decorations. What this did is really made me take a look of what aligns for me.
Over the last couple of years my daughter, Britt has been exploring her ancestral roots and how events were celebrated. Most recently, her partner Michael and her have really upped their interests and it has inspired me to look at ways that I can celebrate the nature and connections there are there through the seasons.
To clarify, I encourage everyone to do whatever they choose. I am for anyone that wants to celebrate, not celebrate, whatever works for them. For the past couple of years, I’ve found myself celebrating the Winter Solstice.
The Winter Solstice, or the December Solstice, is the point at which the path of the sun in the sky is farthest south. At the Winter Solstice (December 21st), the sun travels the shortest path through the sky resulting in the day of the year with the least sunlight and therefore, the longest night.
This event has been celebrated by various cultures throughout history, symbolizing themes such as rebirth, renewal, and the return of the light. As days start to grow longer again, it is often seen as a time of hope and new beginnings.
What does the solstice mean spiritually?
It’s often said to be a time of new beginnings; with the changing of the seasons, we say goodbye to a long, stagnant period of self-reflection and welcome the fiery energy of the sun to propel us forward. This very physical changing of the seasons is a powerful time to manifest spiritual transformations.
Here are some customary ways to celebrate the solstice—
For those with English lineage (or just an interest in general) you may want to join in on Stonehenge Live where they stream from Stonehenge on the 22nd – https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/things-to-do/solstice/. You can also learn about the history of Stonehenge on this website.
Create a citrus simmering pot, use a few or variety of these; slices of oranges, limes, grapefruit, lemons, apples, cranberries, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Lavender, Sage, Lemongrass, Cinnamon Sticks, Bay Leaves (write an intention on them), vanilla extract, almond extract, peppermint extract, whole cloves or anise. Use a pan on the stove or a small crock pot and fill with water to let simmer throughout the day!
Create an altar with candles, nature items such as pine cones, sticks, tidbits of dried flowers, a favorite winter picture. Light the candles and sit in the dark, contemplating how during the darkest times of our lives, those moments helped to move us forward in our journey.
Take time to connect with nature. If you are able to get out and walk, even if it’s around the neighborhood take in the trees, plants, grass, and how each of them are going through their own transformation. I like to imagine the tree having gone through the hot summer and now being resilient to the icy cold wind and temperature. Trees can teach us so much about growth and strength.
One other thing that I want to share with you. The idea of darkness or dark being bad. Let’s explore a little about what occurs during the darkness in nature. Scientists have discovered that some zooplankton thrive throughout the winter. They mate and incubate eggs in the darkness — and all that activity plays a crucial part in fueling the Arctic’s massive explosion of rebirth each spring.
The dark is good for our sleep, our biology, and the health of our ecosystems. It’s good for our creativity and our spirits, and, yes, it’s even good for our safety and security. That’s the message of Paul Bogard, who has written extensively on the importance of darkness. His book is titled “The End of Night.”
When a seed is planted in the soil, there is no light and yet it still sprouts and grows. Mushrooms also grow in very minimal light and sometimes complete darkness. Many plants thrive in the dark with just bits of light here and there. One way I have used the dark is to imagine being enveloped in black velvet, completely covered, the softness of the velvet helping me to feel safe, and secure. During this time of imagining, I ask myself, what emotions bubble up in the darkness, what fears do I have that need the safety of darkness to come out and be acknowledged? When I acknowledge what is in me, it no longer has near the hold on my life or my ways of navigating this human experience.
During the Winter Solstice take time to ponder, how does the dark serve me? How can I learn to be more in the flow of light and dark? What would it feel like to not be in resistance of the darkness? How can I use this new awareness to create my journey?
