“Only through darkness do we see the light. Only through stillness do we hear the truth.”
When our greatest light source, the sun, stops and stands still for just a moment, it’s a humbling reminder that we all can too. Today (Dec. 21) marks the Winter Solstice a special time of the year when the night is at it’s longest and the daylight its shortest. It can also be seen as the rebirth of light as after today the days will begin to lengthen.
Lucky for us we were gifted the “electric light” which means the long night will likely not impact our to do lists today. Don’t get me wrong I love the ability to work on my computer when it’s dark outside however I can’t help but think of how our primal beings lived prior to this recent invention.
It wasn’t too long ago that our primal bodies came to life only in the presence of sunlight. The ball of fire would (and still does) ignite our pineal glands and harmonize our circadian rhythms allowing us to adjust our sleep and other biological patterns to function optimally.
We have a deeply rooted biological, spiritual, and cultural connection to the sun’s light. It’s no coincidence that many festivals like Christmas, Yule, Children’s Day, and Diwali occur during this time when light is beginning to reemerge.
Beyond gift giving, tree lighting, and eating pumpkin pie this time of the year is a moment of powerful transformation from the old to the new. With more light upon us all of nature will start to come out of hiding – including us. We will shed our winter coats and bear our arms. This holds true for our internal bodies as well. Pain and suffering that was either gathered or buried deeper during the cold and dark days will begin to surface in the light.
Following suit of nature, animals will shed excess weight in the light and start afresh and so can we. As we move through tonight’s darkness and into tomorrows light it is an opportunity to shed, let go, forgive, and release all the burdens of this past year and step into the light… feeling a little lighter.
Now let’s pull the brain out of the ethers and back into the body. I have a tendency to float away but change happens on the physical level. Don’t just THINK about it… DO IT.
Here’s my Inner Solstice Celebration that I will be doing today. I invite you to do take some time today to do this exercise.
Inner Solstice Celebration
- Take Time. Carve out 30 – 60 minutes TODAY. Trust me the to do list can wait.
- Make Space. Take 10 minutes to clear your space. Doesn’t have to be deep cleaning but do some obvious de-cluttering. Physically throw away paper or items that you don’t need from this year.
- Create light. Light a small flame by lighting a candle. Turn off all “electric lights’
- Be Still. Take a seat, and either close your eyes or gaze softly. Breathe in. Sigh out. Tune into your breath.
- Reflect. Ask the question “What will I let go of and offer to this fire?” Allow the answers to come to you, without force.
- Resolve. Ask the question “What will I ignite in the presence of this light?” Allow ALL of your desires to come to you.
- Resume. Breathe in. Sigh out. Stand up and look at the flame that has dissolved your suffering and ignited your desires. Blow out the flame. If you’d like you can journal your thoughts without judgment.
It is truly a blessing to be connected to the rhythm of nature today and feel the legacy of our primal spirit. The sun stands still for only a moment today but in that moment a great intensity exists and transformation occurs.
I’m excited to hear your resolutions. Take a moment to share in comments!
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