Blessed Solstice : Release & Renew
“The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down.”
When I started my journey as a student of homeopathy, the lens through which I viewed the world around me seemingly began to widen. I became increasingly aware of the secret lives behind all things found in nature. Suddenly, seasons weren’t just about a change in weather, I was connected, part of them. The death of one season and birth of another a reflection of the opening and closing of chapters in my own life. The moon took on new meaning in my journey as a woman and I began to fall in love with the synchronicity I found in her waxing and waning. Fire, earth, air, and water became more than symbols of the elements as they revealed themselves in my body and in themes surrounding me. In the passing years I have felt increasingly connected to creation, it has become the place I go to find reflection and connect with my inner wisdom.
Today we find ourselves in the liminal space of the winter solstice. It is the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, a day where we find ourselves in the blackness of night for around 16 hours, and in the light for only 8. It’s my favorite time of year to go for evening walks, to feel the chill of the air in my lungs and to admire the Christmas trees lit in the windows of my neighbors, and the colorful displays on their lawns. If we can pull ourselves out of the man-made hustle and bustle of the season and tune in to nature, we find our natural world in a state of quietude. Trees have released their leaves to decay in the spring thaw, many creatures have begun their hibernation, but beneath the dried grass, or blanket of snow, dormant seeds have been planted, ready to make their debut on brighter days.
Can you see your life reflected in these themes? Maybe the sun is setting on a chapter, or you’re finding yourself in quiet reflection during these longer evenings. Maybe you’re beginning to see the latent potential of your seeds of intention, or perhaps you’re filled with hope as you look toward brighter days. We are in a space between worlds today, a space between death and birth. What might you need to release before you move forward, before the seeds you’ve planted can truly grow? What are you planting? What might new life bring to fruition as the days grow longer?
If we choose to infuse a little mindfulness into this space, we can create a shifts in our lives and in the world around us. Mindfulness combined with prayer or intention-setting can be so powerful. Both my mother and grandmother taught me to “be specific with your prayers,” I understand that more now than I ever did as a child. Prayer and intention-setting creates a shift in me. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It does not change God, it changes me.” Spoken intentions create a shift in us, a shift in the field around us, the words that we choose to use both in our minds and aloud have a direct impact upon our energy, on our very spirit.
What mindfulness can you bring into this space? Is there something specific that is holding you back from growth? A pattern that need be released? Or maybe you’ve already begun to let something go and are looking forward to manifesting something new.
I’m not a huge fan of resolutions, not at all. Mostly because in my past, every time I would “fail” I would feel horribly discouraged and this pattern became so damaging to me mentally and emotionally that I would feel so stuck or paralyzed that trying again felt far too great a task. What I do love is bringing mindfulness into a space in your life where you are feeling a desire for change. Start with just noticing your habits and thought patterns. Awareness widens our lens, allows us to take a step back. As a pebble in the water, we witness the ripple-effect created by our unique vibration.
A Practice for Release and Manifestation:
Need a little inspiration? For me, doing something to physically symbolize what I want, helps ground my intention.
Get a small piece of paper and write down something you want to release, something that is holding you back. Fold it up and burn it (preferably outside 😉), and watch the ashes float away. You can also write an intention, something you would like to see flourish in your life. Fold up the paper and tuck it in a space near your desk, your nightstand, whatever feels right for you. Know that growth awaits you!
May you find solace in your night tonight, and hope during your days in the future, and however you are celebrating this year, I wish you rest, peace, prosperity, and most of all, love in the coming days.
“The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays.”
Winter Solstice sunset 2019, Olbrich Park, Madison, WI