By now, you've probably heard murmurings about Winter Solstice and are curious about what it actually means. While many others of us are honoring this time through celebration, ceremony, and rituals, but most importantly using this time to do self-reflection and deep inner work.
Either way, Winter Solstice is here for the Northern Hemisphere of the world and I am grateful to be a witness to it.
Honoring solstice time is an ancient and sacred practice. The word "solstice" comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). During this season the sun appears to stand still as we have longer nights and shorter days. The sun gradually decreases into the sky until the hours of daylight become longer. In many cultures this is symbolic of “rebirth.”
In observing nature, the animals, flowers, and even the sun as we see, take the time to withdraw, conserve energy, rest, and renew itself. However, underneath the surface, there is something happening. Nourishment, preparation and even procreation are going on to prepare for the “birth” in Spring.
We can apply this same process to our own lives.
Pause for a moment. Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath.
Drop out of your head, and
Into your heart.
Now, ask yourself, “What inner work do I feel is necessary to bring forth creative new life in spring?”
The Winter Solstice is a call inward. And although it is honored through celebrations, I acknowledge that this is also a time when people feel more depressed, anxious, or heavy, especially those without family or a support system. Low vibrations and frequencies are common with less exposure to sunlight.
Three ways we can use the solstice to cultivate calm, and to "do our inner work" is through
1. Self-Reflection Journaling
Ask yourself questions that will help you peel back layers and get to the core of what you want to create. Some of the questions you can ask yourself are:
"Who am I?"
"What do I desire right now?"
"What is my purpose?"
Journaling is not about writing to perfection, being attentive to grammatical errors, or punctuation. It's
about writing from your heart. Set aside a special, uninterrupted time for you to journal. Write,
unedited free hand until your spirit tells you that you're complete. You'll know. You'll feel it in your body.
2. Visual Meditation
Check in with yourself and choose a time where you will you pause and visually meditate for 60 seconds on what you desire, observing how it feels in your body. Your feeling is then emitted into the Universe. What you emit out, is what will return manifested to you. You create from the inside out and visual meditation is a tool that will help you do just that. A few years back I chose a time that I would do this and like clock work, I'd look down on my phone or my watch and see the time I chose. It could be day or night, it didn't matter, however when I saw it, I paused and went within.
3. Clear Your Space as Practice of Gratitude
This is two-fold. Clearing out clutter and simplifying our space allows energy to flow more freely. When clearing out your space, you can also practice gratitude. Whatever it is that you are throwing away or giving away, you can thank the item for the time you had together. Another way you can practice gratitude is thanking the space that you're in and speaking gratitude for what will come fill it.
This season, as you awake, welcome the new day with an open heart and mind. Be attentive to your thoughts and the feelings in your body, using the tools to help you nourish, prepare and procreate for the next season. The season of revival, reawakening, and rebirth!
Remember, it is only in pure darkness that you can see the most light.
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"Everyone is worthy and deserving to experience the connection of community and to heal and nourish themselves in a space that is loving, peace-promoting, and self-empowering. I am honored and grateful to offer such as space."
Love, Schan
