It’s been a long and trepidatious 2016, but as we enter the Winter Solstice on December 21st, the longest night of the year, light is at the end of the tunnel . . . literally. The sun will begin to shine brighter and closer to us in the Northern Hemisphere, calling in more yang energy, that which builds strength and qi after great stillness. Solstice translated from Latin means “sun set still.”
Traditionally people would gather around a fire or light a candle to mark the great sunlight that is to come, while also setting intentions of letting go of everything that came before in order to pave way for the new year. Use this last sacred night of deep yin to reflect on what happened over the year and what you might do differently.
This makes a beautiful holiday to celebrate because it is where the darkness, melancholy, and stresses of life can be met with the hope of a brighter day. Where true yin meets true yang. A reminder that all of life works in a balance and nothing can be felt or understood without awareness of its opposite. To feel the light, you must understand the dark. Even if 2016 was a hard year for you, always remember that what is challenging becomes the fuel for cultivation.
The deeper the challenge both personally and collectively the greater the potential for our awakening.
So. . . .
-Light a candle or a fire
-Reflect on the previous year
-Let go of what you need to (even burn these reflections written down on paper)
-Honor what you learned
-Move forward with a new intention