The Winter Solstice is upon us. The longest night of the year, when nature retreats into stillness. We embrace the festivity of the season, joining with friends to celebrate the return of the Sun, watching the snow fall through the window, safe and warm within our houses. The Earth becomes silent, dreamlike, and dormant. Evergreen trees call our attention, reminding us of the hope and promise of life, even in this barren landscape that now surrounds us. As the Earth takes pause, this natural process reminds us to also take a pause, take a breath, and be still. It’s a time of reflection and in this, when we take pause, we can find the wisdom of the Winter Solstice.
The Wisdom of Winter.
All around us, we can see the signs of the earth slowing down- trees are now conserving their energy and focusing what energy they have on their roots. Animals are hibernating, retreating from the world to rest and be restored. The earth itself is slowing down, and taking a deep breath of pause, before continuing its cycle come Spring. When everything is coated in a blanket of frost, ice and snow, the land is transformed into a Winter Wonderland, capturing the magick of the season perfectly.
There’s a lot of wisdom here for us to learn. When we listen to the magick of this season, and embrace the Winter Solstice, we’re encouraged to:
- Simplify and Slow Down. I know its easy to overfill our calendars at this time of year- I do it too. The festive season is when we tend to go full steam ahead and socialise with friends, family, work colleagues, etc. Winter holds the energy of slowing down though, so embrace those quiet moments, and the cosy evenings at home. Hold the boundaries you have in place so that you don’t overdo it.
- Honour the Darkness. With the shortest day of the year, we have the ability to honour the darkness and reflect on our life and the things that have happened in the last year. Review what has happened, what you’ve learnt, what you’re releasing and what you’re now dreaming in. Bonus points if you do this reflection by candlelight- it’s a soft, dreamy and intimate setting to reflect and dream in.
- Reconnect with yourself. If you’re embracing the quietness of the Winter Solstice, and giving yourself some downtime, then use this time to reconnect with yourself. Try journaling, meditating, or walking in nature. Find something that you can do just for yourself.
Reflecting in Winter.
The Winter Solstice is a time of reflection. We’re approaching the end of the calendar year, and the Celtic New Year has only just past- now is the time to reflect and a good way to do this is to journal. Journaling is one of my favourite things to do during Winter, and I set aside some time during the Winter Solstice to journal. I write about everything I’ve achieved this year, the things I’m noticing as nature take’s her Winter’s pause. I reflect on where I’ve been, and the dreams I’m starting to plant the seeds for when the energy starts to rise again. If you want some journal prompts to help you journal this Winter Solstice, here are some to get you thinking.
Embracing Winter’s Pause.
In amongst the festive celebrations of Winter, when we embrace this stillness and pause, we’re reminded that this energy is a necessity. It gives us the opportunity to nourish ourselves in body, mind and spirit. When we let nature guide us, and we honour the lessons that this season provides, we can rest, refill our cups so that when Spring comes around again, and the energy begins to rise, we are ready to face and rise with this new energy. Sometimes, our bodies will force us to rest and pause if we don’t nourish ourselves enough, so be gentle with yourself over these Winter months, rest up and nourish yourself.