𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀.
After this pause, the days slowly start to get longer again.
This moment in the year asks us to honour what is ending in us – looking back at what has passed over the last 12 months, and consider what we have healed, lost, gained, and learned.
But in the same instant we are asked to look ahead at the next turn of the wheel – what do I want to nurture, heal, grow and experience next year?
It is a time for deep introspection.
Honouring the Solstice
Many traditions around the world celebrate a festival in midwinter.
We could be talking about the pagan tradition of “Yule”, Japan’s “Toji”, Mexico’s “Los Pasadas” or Iran’s “Yalda”. Or of course, Christmas.
The common theme is the interplay of darkness and light.
The word ‘𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲’ literally means ‘𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡’.
Here is the moment when the sun seems to pause and rest low in the sky.
From the darkness, the sun is reborn.
In many ancient traditions and myths, the solstice is marked by stories that relate to the mother’s womb.
In Norway the goddess Frigg is the goddess of winter who laboured the sun into the earth on winter’s night.
Many historians believe that around the 4th Century, the Roman Church began to replace ‘𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗻’ (the birth of the solar god Minus) with ‘the birth of the son’ (the birth of Jesus Christ).
Though it is thought that Jesus was born in the spring, midwinter was chosen as the time to celebrate his birth: the new light coming to the earth.
Though we don’t always realise it, many of us still celebrate pagan traditions that represent new life and light at this time of year:
The evergreen tree – a symbol of enduring life in winter
Fairy lights – sparkling lights in the darkness
The Yule log (now largely chocolate!) – this was originally a ceremonial log burned on the fire
Giving gifts – a tradition from many cultures to celebrate kindness and gratitude in the deepest of winter.
𝗥𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀:
Winter Solstice is a festival of coming inwards – of personal introspection and of celebrating with our closest loved ones.
We can bake cookies with children, make candles, or create a winter altar.
We can say a prayer and come to quiet meditation.
A Yule wreath is a perfect symbol for this festival – a circle has no beginning and no end. You could create a Yule wreath using evergreen foliage, berries, dried fruits and ribbons.
𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲:
1. What came to an end for me in the last year? What have I let go of, healed, or transformed?
2. What challenges did I overcome? What did I learn?
3. What held me back last year?
4. What would I love to create next year?
5. How do I want to create more joy, love, laughter and abundance in my life?
6. What is ready to be healed next?
7. What am I ready to let go of, so that I can birth new creations?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Courage Dear Heart Episode #58: From Overwhelm to Ease, with client Leigh Farrer
- There have been many new uploads to my YouTube channel, including interviews with Rob Cook, who is an internationally renowned speaker and veteran with over 20 years of military experience. His journey of “Life After Trauma” is living proof that demonstrates the immense growth and strength possible when you learn how the mind truly works. You can listen to that conversation here, and listen to his interview with me for his podcast here
- Free series of 5 Vlogs – “Comfortable in your own skin”
- The 8-week Finding Freedom from Habits & Anxiety program can be found here
