This week’s post is a couple days early because tomorrow is the Winter Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere).
It’s the perfect time to have a lovely little reflective celebration, and to take time for yourself when things are so hectic around the holidays.
And you can make it as non-spiritual/religious or as totally spiritual/religious as you want! No matter what your belief system.
Why observe Winter Solstice?
Do you love Christmas? Or maybe you celebrate something else. Maybe you’re an atheist. Perhaps you are super spiritual or you celebrate Yule instead.
The natural cycle of the year and seasons allows ALL OF US to connect and celebrate ourselves and our journeys. And the Winter Solstice is part of that.
How awesome is that?
If you’re interested in why some of the ideas below are related to Winter Solstice, check out these previous posts from last year here and here and this other post from this year.
Otherwise, just use the ideas below as a guide to create a Winter Solstice celebration that is just right for YOU.
Some ways to celebrate on Winter Solstice
You can mix and match the options below – whatever feels right for you!
Honour Ancestors
If you have an ancestor who you feel close to or have always been drawn to, or just miss, it’s the perfect time to honour them.
- You can prepare a dish or meal you think they would like/that they liked, and take a moment to think of them, or talk about them.
- If you’re spiritual, you can also share with them what’s on your mind and tell them you’re having this meal to honour their memory.
One thing to be really clear about – don’t do this for anyone in your family that you don’t feel comfortable with. This is a celebration and it’s about YOU, so keep it to ancestors you truly feel an affinity toward.
Gently Turn the Page on This Year (Burn It Off! No Exercise Required!)
It’s also the perfect time to shake off those remnants of things that are no longer serving you. Anything that has been weighing on your mind from the past year, any guilt, anger, shame, crappy experiences – whatever they are.
- Write out that you are releasing these things that no longer serve you.
- Then, write out what it means to release all that no longer serves you. Just keep it positive (“when I release hatred, I feel free”) and avoid negative statements.
- In a firesafe way, you can then burn the paper. Notice how it feels to let it go.
- Take a moment of gratitude for yourself for all that you’ve already learned and thank yourself (and/or the Universe/etc if you are spiritual) for where you are going to bring yourself next.
Sit in Sacred Darkness
If you love meditation, you’ll like this one!
I’ve previously written about how darkness can be sacred. Darkness does not need to mean “bad” or “scary”. Darkness can be sacred. In that quiet and stillness is our opportunity to meet ourselves face to face.
- You can find a comfy seat in a darkened room and light a candle (be safe!).
- Then you can gently gaze at the candle, take some deep, slow breaths, and think about how some of your perceived weaknesses or “low/dark” moments have actually helped you in the past.
- As you think about your journey in life so far, think about how you can make slight shifts in your mindset and perspectives to turn up the volume on your strengths.
- You can continue to reflect with the candle, and you can also journal about it after. Not sure how? I’ve previously written about how to do freewriting.
Blessings and empowerment to you this Winter Solstice.