In the darkness that envelops us this time of year, the energies are ripe now for linking our intentions with symbols and images that channel energy to bring them about. Symbolically, the Great Mother goes into labor on Solstice night, to bring forth the Child of Light, the new sun, the new era, the new day. We support her efforts with our chants, our songs, our dances, our ceremonies, and the real work we each do every day.
Celebrating Solstice at home
Solstice is an excellent time for personal work, for letting go of inner pain, regrets, mistakes, blocks. Fire and water can both be good tools for doing this. Here are some simple ideas to help you celebrate Solstice at home:
- Stir some salt into a bowl of water. Sit with it, and let any painful or fearful feelings arise, and as they do, breathe them into the water, stirring counterclockwise. When you feel the wave of emotion has passed, sit for a moment and allow yourself to believe that change is possible. Imagine it as a spark of light, that begins to grow as you stir clockwise. You can sing or chant or breathe to raise the energy.
- When you feel the bowl is glowing, take a small sip and consciously take back the transformed energy. Look back at some of the situations that have been painful and imagine how you might do them differently, how you can transform them next time.
- If you have a fireplace or wood stove or a way to make a fire outside, you can do a similar cleansing with fire: Sit by the unlit fire, draw or write your regrets on paper, then light the fire and let them burn up in the flames.
Let this Solstice be a time when we all put our intention towards the change we want to see in the world. We are creative, magical, radiant beings, and when we link our hearts, our vision and our actions together, as the Wheel of the Year turns, we can turn the world around.
Header Photo by Endri Killo on Unsplash
Featured Photo by Colter Olmstead on Unsplash