As the Winter Solstice graces the Northern Hemisphere, we stand at the threshold of the longest night, a time of deep introspection and reverence for the sacred darkness. In the ancient tapestry of traditions, Winter Solstice (around December 20-23) is not just a celestial event but a spiritual journey, inviting us to slow down, turn within, and embrace the wisdom held in the quiet depths of the season.
Honoring the Seasonal Shift:
In ancestral times, people gathered around the Yule log, lighting ritual fires to beckon the return of the sun. It's a season of patience, akin to an expectant mother awaiting to confirm the presence of life within.
“The holiday of Winter Solstice celebrates the presence of spirit and the power of faith that our visions of the future will come into manifestation. All we can do in the middle of winter is pray and hope the light will return. Winter Solstice is not about having the light. It is about carrying hope and trust while moving toward a vision that we will work to make a reality.
This time invites us to slow down, even when our culture tells us to speed up, go shopping and get everything ready for the holidays. It is a time to turn within to the wise old self present in every woman. She lives on the edge of spirit, able to access this world and the next. She is the one who is already holding the future. Dreaming is Her power and she patiently waits in the dark with wisdom and guidance.
This is a time of trust - that the flowers will eventually return, and a time to celebrate the dark, where the inner life is honored and nurtured.” ~ Ruth Barrett
Reclaiming the Feminine and the Dark:
As we reclaim the feminine in our culture we are also re-patterning our relationship to the dark. On this darkest day of the year may we all receive the nourishment, love, and safety inherent in the darkness. May we honor the coming of the light without bypassing the gifts the darkness holds for us - the gifts inherent in our challenges, in our deepest feelings, in the unknown and within the darkness of our womb.
On this Solstice, may we remember the power in the darkness. May we welcome the light. Let us take this time to go inwards.
Questions for Journaling:
What am I visioning and hoping for?
What dreams do I carry for the year ahead?
How can I step into greater trust with life?
Who is my wise old self, and what wisdom does she have for me?
Winter Solstice Ritual:
Gather 8 candles and your favorite tarot decks.
Clear a safe space to create a circle of candles around you.
Invoke your guides, angels, and protectors to be present.
Light each candle, one by one, in honor of the 8 high holy days of the year.
Extinguish each candle, starting with Imbolc, reflecting on the past year at each high holy day.
Pause in the darkness. Reflect on your present moment at the Winter Solstice. What gifts and wisdom does the darkness hold?
Light a candle, one at a time for the year ahead, pulling a tarot card for each. Allow the experience to be intuitive and reflective.
Invoke the return of light, speaking prayers or intentions.
Close the ceremony in a way that feels right for you, perhaps with "By the power of three, a holy trinity, it is done," or singing three oms.
As we stand in the embrace of the Winter Solstice, may we find solace in the sacred darkness and wisdom in the introspective journey it offers. By slowing down, turning within, and embracing the gifts of the unknown, we can navigate the coming year with grace and intuition.
Let this Winter Solstice be a celebration of the divine feminine, a time of healing, and a reminder that in the sacred darkness, we find the seeds of our deepest wisdom and growth.
