It’s finally here, the Winter Solstice. The shortest day and the longest night marks the beginning of a shift in energy from internal to external, reflecting to manifesting, and darkness to light. There is something powerful about the reminder that for all things in nature, including us, no matter how long the night, day always follows.

In Dark Night of the Soul, Thomas Moore reflects on this stating "To care for the soul in earnest, you have to learn to appreciate the dark elements as well as the light ones.". The solstice provides an opportunity to practice just this. It is a time to go within to reflect, rest, and restore. To honour the darkness knowing that light will rise once again.

Every year I make a candle spiral (don’t get the wrong idea, it’s essentially a play doh recipe) to count down the days until the solstice. It’s a chance to be mindful of the inevitability of light following darkness and how, in community, we can light the darkest time. Here are a few ideas for creating ritual of your own:

Bring light to the darkest night: light candles, eat dinner by candlelight, have a fire
Reflect, release, and let go: write down that which you would like to let go of and throw the list in the fire, allow the flames to transform darkness back into light
Set intentions for the coming months, you can check back in with them on the Summer Solstice
Get outside, feel the air on your face and enjoy the light offered by the moon