Winter Solstice Ritual
Pause at Threshold of Creative Potential
Today is Winter Solstice and first day of winter. The new moon is Friday. The longest day of darkness merging with darkest night of moon cycle. A trinity of celestial occurrences, offering a hearth to pause in stillness.
Ayurveda recognizes and garners wisdom from changes in the Macro Universe (cosmos, seasons, weather), in order AND holy chaos, to better understand oneSelf in relation to the ever-changing Universal 5 elements - space, air, fire, water, and earth. Through such knowledge, one is better equipped to navigate life's changes and unknowns.
What season of life (personal or career) are you in? How are you weathering life changes? Are you yearning to begin new creative cycle? Do you feel "in the dark" navigating change and unknowns regarding a move, health, or relationship?
Moments like Solstice, new moons, and twilight are potent times and portals to yield in the darkness, allowing it to become a cocoon of possibility.
Some of life's greatest creative wonders happen in the dark. The cocoon, womb, and tomb. All magical and miraculous places of transformation.
The nature of darkness can cause either fear of unknown, or, stoke sense of mystery. Fear blocks power to imagine and create. Mystery unlocks power of wonder, wields one's inner light, and opens doors to new life adventures.
Here's a spiritual bushwhacking ritual to help yield in a quiet, dark space and rekindle your Soul's light.
Winter Solstice Meditation
Ignite and Kindle Your Creative Potential
Venture outside shortly after twilight. Get cozy on meditation pillow or favorite lawn chair.
Close eyes. Merge into inner darkness.
Pause and observe breath. Place one hand over heart, one on belly. Create a steady, slow breath rhythm. As breath slows and steadies, so does mind. Exhale: release any fears or resistance to current life changes and unknowns. Inhale: Ignite and stoke trust, faith, courage, or whatever word feels like a Light source for you.
Keep breathing. Exhale and release obstacles. Inhale and stoke divine light.
Keep falling into rhythm with your breath. Your body and mind recognizes this divine cadence.
Keep breathing. Pause between the breaths. This is realm of Spirit and creative potential.
Continue for 5 or 10 minutes. Or, perhaps 1 minute for my Michigan Midwest friends.
Then, open eyes and look at sky. The darkness allows eyes to better see starlight. The dark moments in life allow us to seek, find, and navigate the Soul's light.
Focus on a star or constellation. Reflect on your current stretch of life path. Who, what, or where provides light for you now, as you navigate change and spiritually bushwhack unknowns?
Pause. Give thanks.
Come up with a word reflecting how you feel when you see the starlight above and Soul's Light within. This word will become your light in dark moments of uncertainty or confusion.
Wield this word- through prayer or chanting, when you feel doubt or fear while moving through change and unknowns.
Close your solstice meditation by dreamscaping (imagining) your life goals and dreams coming true. Then, go inside and enjoy a warm cup of tea or cocoa.