Winter (& Summer) Solstice 2023
Like I said I’d be sending out some Winter Solstice / Yule journal prompts that we’ve explored together in classes.
Here are the journal prompts we explored together:
How do I relate to darkness?
What am I shedding / outgrowing from this last 12 month season?
What is unresolved from this last 12 month season? And can I allow myself to loosen my grip on what’s unresolved? Not figure it out and just let it be.
As I reflect on darkness this year I have a few more things for you to chew on…
How do you fear darkness?
How do you fear the darkness in yourself?
The winter solstice is a time for deep introspection. A time for reflection to see what quiet seeds we have hiding deep within ourselves.
Not necessarily what’s awake, but what will be awake for springtime.
A time to dream new life and ideas, a glimmer of what might be something you’d like to achieve and receive in the coming year or season.
For the summer solstice it’s about the grasslands and those characteristics. But for the winter solstice it’s about the forest, forest creatures and their characteristics a. People used to fear the forest because of its darkness and uncertainty but it’s a necessary to experience the forest because it’s where we hunt and it’s where we forage.
The forest is a lot like your inner world, it’s a necessity for life but some people will go their entire lifetime ignoring it and what it has to offer.
The darkness is where we find the brightest light.
And speaking of the light - the winter solstice is still a celebration of the sun! For the Northern Hemisphere the excitement of longer days returns. If you work with an Sun deities, now’s a great time to set out some offerings.
For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the Summer Solstice - so no matter what tomorrow is a solstice celebration baby.
In the Peruvian Andes they have dry season and wet season, summer is wet season and everything is absolutely beautiful, abundant and luscious. It’s outwardly bright and sensual, and usually that’s what we as humans connect with easier. Outward energies. Take a moment to reflect on your opinion of summer verses winter energy. Interesting no?
There’s something special about witnessing the two solstices and seasons together because the theme is about relating to our surroundings.
That the wheel will turn, and the Earth will change seasons.
The wheel will turn, and we will change seasons.
This is just another season in life, different seasons require different attention, intention and care.
To everyone in the North, may your winter be cozy and filled with warm nourishing food, teas and friendship.
To everyone in the South, may your summer be active and filled with fruitful experiences with those you love.
For those of you who missed this little tidbit on our retreat page IG story a few weeks ago …
“Taking apart the Samhain altar & creating the Winter Solstice altar time has begun.
So let me tell you about the folklore of La Befana, the silician witch. If you didn’t know I’m part Sicilian, and absolutely adore sharing these stories. Strega Nona is the most popular Italian folklore as it’s a children’s book, but we can talk about that another day!
Befana is basically a woman Santa! She’s said to be covered in soot riding a broomstick coming down the chimney when she drops off goodies to good children on the even of January 5th. Which in the Catholic calendar would be the evening before the Epiphany, or Old Christmas. It’s a date when people celebrate how a star led the Magi /Three Kings / Wise Men to visit the Jesus after he was born.
According to the legend, the kings passed her house on their way to Bethlehem and invited her to join them on their quest, and that’s how she began blessing the good children.
It was also said that she swept the floor before she left each house, sweeping away of the problems of the previous year and blessing the coming year. The offerings left out by the children’s families were glasses of wine, and some local foods.
Ergo, I’ll be dressing the altar up for Befana’s arrival once again.”