Winter Solstice

Here in the upper mid-West, we are experiencing that blanket of snow that brings with it the calm and quiet. When you step outside during or just after the snow you will experience this. It's almost like mother earth has covered the world with a soft blanket, nestling us in for the night. There is nothing quite like this. It is a reminder for us to take the time to quite ourselves and to reflect upon the past year. Who we are now, what we have experienced, what abundance and joy has come into our lives. 

By taking this time we open ourselves to new beginnings. It is a time to plant seeds of thought, manifestation, and miracles. If we cannot first think of what we have experienced and what we want more of, how can we chart the course to draw in more of those experiences? It is easy to hunker down this time of the year and to melt away on the couch with Netflix and sooth our worries with a glass of wine. Not that these things are bad, but they take us away from creating that rich fertile ground in which to plant our seeds. 

Last Winter Solstice I gathered with a beautiful group of women. We had a water ceremony by candlelight. If you are not familiar with a water ceremony, it is similar to a fire ceremony where you take a small sheet of paper (In this case dissolvable paper) and you write down events, characteristics, experiences that you want to release from your life. We then float the paper into the water and speak words into the space releasing all that no longer serves us. When we were finished each one of us spoke our name with the women in circle saying our name out loud affirming us. It was so powerful. 

We then moved to a candle lighting ceremony where we each lit our own personal candle from our shared candle in our wreath. We spoke words of what we wanted to draw in, have more of, or to experience in this next year. Lighting our own candle to signify our light that shines even in the darkness of winter. Winter Solstice is a time to usher in the light. It is the darkest day of the year. To honor the returning of the light the following day many will stay up all night honoring the past year and holding space for the light to return. 

As we come upon the Solstice this coming Saturday, how will you honor the return of the light, and what you would like more of in this next year? How will you reflect upon the ways you have grown as a person over the last year, and acknowledge the distance you have yet to go? It doesn't have to be a fancy ceremony as I previously mentioned. It can be through simple gestures. Lighting a candle and journaling can be just the thing to fill your soul. 

There are many beautiful ceremonies out there if you are looking for one to participate in. You can find musical concerts dedicated to the solstice, there are groups that hold space and honor the evening that you can participate in. Do a little search to see what is available in your area. I know of a few, message me, and I can direct you to one. 

Cheers to the close of 2025, and the holiday season upon us. Don't forget to create the fertile ground to plant your seeds for the future. Blessings to you all.