Embracing the Power of the Winter Solstice to Heal and Empower Self and Others

 


 ©Jane A. Simington, PhD. 2017

 The darkest day or the longest night of the year is near. This annual planetary event is known as the Winter Solstice, and occurs this year on December 21. At the Winter Solstice, the sun begins to return, shifting the balance of dark and light, bringing promises of increasing warmth and new beginnings.

  • This is a powerful time to reflect on our seen and unseen darkness, so we can release some of that pain.
  • As we come to the close of this year, let us heal our emotions and spirits and thus release the darkness within ourselves to make room for the returning light that can bring with it, and fill us with, what it is we desire to manifest in 2018.
  1. Embrace the calmness of winter evenings and nights. As you sit alone in the darkness, allow yourself to feel the peace within the stillness. The quiet calm of a long winter’s night provides a great opportunity to look within and nurture Spirit Connections. Acknowledge how much energy gets poured into the external preparations for the winter holidays and then use the stillness of a quiet calm winter night to honor your inner world, and to refresh and renew your Spirit.
  2. Reflect on the need for change. As the sun changes course, ponder the direction of your life and determine if you need to, and/or are ready to change direction.
  3. Awaken to higher consciousness. The return of the sun following the Winter Solstice has long been compared to the growth of inner light and thus, to the awakening of higher levels of consciousness. As we shed our darkness and brighten our inner light, we are more able to contribute to the healing so needed in our world; and by so doing, we honor the energy of the Winter Solstice.
  4. Connect with Universal Energies, Spirit Guides and Angels. Many spiritual masters teach that the Solstice is a time when there is an increased alignment between the Earth and the other Universes, creating an opening that allows for easier entry of Spiritual Guides and Angels “bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold,” and thus increasing the possibility of our prayers to be heard and answered in more immediate and miraculous ways.
  5. Enjoy the Celebrations of the Season. Since ancient times, the returning of light has been held as a sacred time of the year and marked with festivals and celebrations.
  6. While it is unclear for how long people have been celebrating the Winter Solstice, we know that ancient stone structures were designed to align perfectly with the sun at dawn and dusk, during the solstices. Some believe that the Winter Solstice was more important to the people who constructed the Neolithic stone structures, than was the Summer Solstice, for their livelihood depended upon the returning sun. Stonehenge located in the south of England, is aligned on a sight-line that points to the Winter Solstice sunset. New Grange, in Ireland, points to the Winter Solstice sunrise. The Winter Solstice was a time when most cattle were slaughtered (so they would not have to be fed during the winter) and, most of the wine and beer were ready for consumption. That in itself seems like a great reason to celebrate the season.
  7. Wear Amber The ancients thought Amber to be a power stone, for they believed this fossilized resin trapped the sun. They wore it to maintain their personal power and to draw the power of the sun god into their lives.
  8. Use the Power of Light and Fire. Mid-winter was a time of concern for our ancestors. They believed the darkness to be filled with dark spirits. To keep them at bay, they lit many candles and built their fires high. They swept their homes with pine branches to cleanse it of darkness and to make room for good luck and prosperity.

 


Revisiting the teachings surrounding these seven ways to honor the Solstice can help use the power of the solstice energy to rekindle our inner light and to help brighten the glow in those we walk beside in both our personal and professional lives.
 
I wish you a joyous Solstice and a very blessed holiday season.

Subscribe to read my new Blog Article 

Join our mailing list to receive the latest blog article. You'r information will not be shared.

Close

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.