The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. There is a lack of light, darkness is everywhere. By honoring the Winter Solstice, you honor yourself.  It is a time to go inward, rest, reset and celebrate the return of the light. In this article, we will explore the energy of this Winter Solstice, why it’s important for your soul growth, tools you can use to support yourself during this time, and rituals to celebrate and cultivate what you want to draw into your life.

The Energy of The Winter Solstice

It’s important to understand the energy of this time period that we are entering so that you can best manage your own energy. This is a time for introspection and to be by yourself to ask your soul how it’s doing. What do you need? What do you want? What can you let go of? The darkness helps us tune out the rest of the world so that we can go inward and do our self cultivation.

The ancients used winter solstice to rest and regenerate, based on their model of life: plant (spring), grow (summer), harvest (fall). This model applies to us in modern times, as well. We all need rest, have ideas and seeds we want to plant, have periods of cultivation, and we harvest our rewards from the hard work we have done.

So use the energy of the time to:

• go to bed early
• Treat yourself and have a cup of tea (this tea and tea cup puts a smile on my face)
• journal, journal, journal
• light a candle
• meditate
• pull cards
• be merry and enjoy your traditions with your loved ones
• start a fire in your fireplace or a bonfire outside
• use aromatherapy to delight your senses

Release any guilt you have about resting and taking care of yourself. Now is your time.

Tuning out the Chatter

I don’t know if you feel it too, but there is so much chatter right now! Chatter mostly about Covid, about the election, about what you should buy your mother-in-law for Christmas. Oh my goodness, it can be overwhelming.

What has helped me as an empath is to just shut it off. The Tv, the radio, the computer and phone. All of it. Just turn it off. We use our phones as a distraction so we don’t have to feel what we were feeling. Some look outside themselves to learn what we should be feeling. But what if we just stopped doing that and looked inside of ourselves?

We have the answer inside. All we have to do is be quiet, ask and listen.

Connecting to your Intuition

Let’s say you’ve now made the commitment to yourself to use the energy of the winter solstice, tune out the chatter, and you’re ready to tune into yourself and listen to your intuition.

How do you begin? It begins with trust. Ask yourself a simple question like “what would I like to do for myself today: a walk in nature or meditation?” Close your eyes, feel into it, and go with the first answer that comes to mind and TRUST IT. This is your soul talking to you. The more you practice this, the more you will be able to use your intuition all of the time.

Using your intuition will help guide you to what you want and need for this lifetime. For more information about intuitive development, you can read this article.

Rituals For Honoring the Winter Solstice

I like to do simple little acts for myself to acknowledge the energy and significance of important days like the Winter Solstice. It does not need to be lengthy or complicated. Think of it as an acknowledgment. A nod of thanks.

1. Light a Candle and Journal

Ok this one is super easy. The idea being that the candle creates sacred space and an energy of celebration that you have hope the light will be returning. I love using these candles that have been charged with reiki in my spiritual work, Write in your journal about how you are feeling, what you would like to release, and what do you want to cultivate in the new year?

2. Do a Card Pull

Shuffle your oracle deck and call your guides in. Then ask one question and then pull the card for your answer. My favorite deck to use lately is The Yogic Path. It is beautiful and also potently accurate. 

• Where am I right now?
• what needs healing in me?
• What do I need to let go of?
• What am I ready to call in now?
• How can I honor myself right now?
• What does my shadow want me to know?

3. Celebrate the Light

Create a bonfire or fire in your fireplace. You can write down what you’re releasing on a piece of paper and throw it into the fire. Or you can just grab a cup of cheer and gaze into the fire. This ritual is truly honoring being in the present moment and can act as a form of meditation in itself.

 

I hope this article spoke to your heart and that you feel inspired to rest and go inward with me.

Please let me know your plans for honoring the Winter Solstice in the comments below!