As we approach the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere we enter into the true abyss of darkness. The light is at its shortest and the rays of the sun feel like a distant time of the past since the height of summer has reigned. The warmth on our faces, the slight burning sensation on our arms that feels like a fueling fire that replenishes us from within rather than a danger to our body, the gatherings with friends, and vacations to places we never before explored. Of course, everything comes with balance and we know to safely retreat when the heat gets too intense and our spirit is full of the joy summer brings.
But now we must, as it’s the call to every life on this planet, retreat away from the light and embrace the darkness fully. The days have been getting shorter by seconds every day since the summer solstice, and as the winter solstice is upon us we are down to a day of only 9 hours and 9 seconds of light. Almost 15 whole hours of darkness. The longest we will experience until the cycle again returns next year. As we enter the darkness we know that the light will return. The sun is still here, the cycles will still repeat, as that’s what the spiral cycle of life does. It goes on continuously forward, and backward, always repeating, but never quite fully the same. We always take with us new experiences, new knowledge, new passions and awareness with each cycle, changing each one ever slightly as we move forward.
The power of the darkness is a place many often want to avoid. It’s scary. It’s filled with so much unknown that we cannot see. It brings up angst, hesitation, a little fear, and some sadness as we miss the joy, the passion, the radiance of a life we remember. The darkness however is a retreat, a comfy bed we can escape to for rest, a place of silence and connection. All forms of life return to the darkness this time of year. Leaves shed, animals hibernate, energy returns back to the roots of all forms of life. Humans do the same. Even when we live in a place that doesn’t experience a winter of cold and gray skies, the energy still shifts; life feels less vibrant. That light that we soaked up throughout the height of the summer is still within us though.
Energy moves inward into our own sacred light at the center of our spirit. The solar plexus which lies within our bellies is the energy center that connects us directly from our own light to the light that nourishes us from above and the light from the belly within the earth. As the summer solstice is the time of honoring the outward energy that fills us with energy to move forward, the winter solstice is a time of honoring the energy that connects us to all that is within us.
At this time we are pulling on those reserves rather than filling them up and in times of stress, illness, tension, and busyness we pull on them pretty rapidly and feel our own wells a bit drained, especially this time of year as we participate in giving so much energy to others around the holidays. We can feel sad and depleted, and the fear of the darkness can feel overwhelming. But what if I said this time of year is meant to fill you up just as much as the light of the peak of summer.
In the winter the womb of the mother opens up where we rest and feel contained and held in Her embrace. Her deep well of vital energy at Her core taps into our own spirits core and we vibrate and pulse in the same low beat of a drum bringing a vibration of healing, restoration, awareness, and deep, divine nourishment. This time of year fuels not just your solar plexus like in summer, but every bit of your spirit from head to toe. Now is the time for us to enter the darkness as a retreat to restore our spirit and fill our being with the long awaited rest it needs. Time within the darkness helps sustain us for the rest of the year as we so often live a life constantly moving and doing. Without resting depletion happens and it can be a lot harder to refill our deep wells of energy without the proper rest we need.
In the winter the womb of the mother opens up where we rest and feel contained and held in Her embrace. Her deep well of vital energy at Her core taps into our own spirits core and we vibrate and pulse in the same low beat of a drum bringing a vibration of healing, restoration, awareness, and deep, divine nourishment.
In winter amongst the darkness we need to sleep more, rest our minds, our spirits, and our bodies. Yes we still need to live and we’re not creations of a full hibernation, so what does this mean? At the core it essentially means slowness. Bring some slowness into whatever you do and see how you can incorporate that into your day to day. Any amount counts.
Here are some great practices to help switch into replenishing vital energy and fill your own well of winter’s rest and recuperation:
- Read a book under your favorite warm blanket by candlelight
- Sip a glass of hot tea and breath in the amazing scent it offers into your being
- Practice more gentle exercise like yoga, tai qi, walking, and moments of dance
- Spend time outside even if it’s cold and breathe in the smell of the evergreens
- Nap just because you give yourself permission to… you have the perfect excuse this time of year
- Sleep in a little later if your schedule allows and wake up later as the sun rises
- Go to bed a little earlier, as early as you can
- Make a restoring night time ritual- think of what would be the perfect way for you to fall asleep? Maybe a book before bed, a relaxing bath, a foot or hand massage?
- Wear lots of comfy, cozy, warm attire. Dress in layers and let scarves and gloves be your best friends.
- Make soups and stews on the weekend to eat throughout the week to fill your belly with warmth
- Practice oil massage to balance out the dryness of the winter and relax the mind.
- Dream at night and day dream in the day giving the mind permission to wander a bit more with less structure.
- Lessen your obligations and move your body and mind in a slightly more gentle and slower pace.
There’s no right or wrong way to work with the energy of winter as long as you listen to your body. That can be hard to do, I know as life is so busy. It’s so hard to step back and put ourselves first for a few moments. My recommendation is just to start with doing something that would be the easiest for you to do. Whether that means you know you can go to bed ten minutes earlier than normal or you can take a minute to just watch the snowfall or listen to the stillness winter brings in the darkness of an early night. Every small amount you do counts and the more we can try to do a little bit of something the more we can enter into the spring more rested, fueled, and inspired to begin the cycle again.
I hope you have a wonderful winter solstice and a winter filled with lots of restoration and nourishment for your whole being!
