21st June – the lowest point on the wheel/cycle of the year – it is the deepest darkest point. Light is born out of darkness, so we can look upon today as a celebration of what is to come. It is from this point forward we are moving away from the increasing darkness. It is the birth of the new sun year.
From nature’s perspective, the seed/plant may have been lying dormant – but even as things seem to remain the same on the outside, it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. The roots have been laid out and strengthened, from this point forward the plant starts to move toward the light. Slowly as the days become longer, further light is created and further growth occurs.
From a personal point of view, the preceding weeks has been a time for consolidation. Nourishment occurs through the act of going within. There is a strength gained from giving our bodies/minds/spirits time to rest and rejuvenate. Our society does not recognize or encourage this down time but it is important because it gives time to our bodies/minds/conscious & subconscious to rest and allow new ideas/relationships/creations time to work their way out. It gives them time to gain strength within and come forward into the light. If we allow this natural period of down time – a process of letting go, of the old/dying/death, even grief – to retract for a period into the darkness and unknown, we can then move forward fresh and renewed into the light.
Wonderful things occur in the darkness (think sleep, rest, dreams, etc) that cannot occur in the light or wakefulness. Out of the darkness comes:
- a new beginning,
- a rebirth,
- a new cycle
- a new way of living.
We can never be the same person we were last year, last month, or even yesterday, as we have had new experiences, been renewed or transformed in some way. When we give our bodies time to rest we build strength within and grow. Every day we have opportunities for new learning/seeing/being which creates change.
Would you prefer to stay as you are now – safe/the same/no risk/stagnant?
We actually can’t help but change because change is occurring all around us (whether we like it or not) and if we remain stagnant, we can start to feel a sense of going backward.
We can live our whole life on the ground, not taking risks and never stepping out of our comfort zone and we live an ordinary life. But if we learn to climb we take a risk: give ourselves the opportunity to fall (and either learn something new) or discover we have wings that can take us places we’ve never even dreamt of.
Regularly we need to strip away and allow the change to occur – don’t fight it, as resistance doesn’t change the fact that the cycle occurs.
A Winter solstice activity
Can be done in a group or on your own and can be done anytime within a week or so of the official solstice.
Create something to represent re-birth/growth:
This can be something that you have been thinking of for a while or a new idea. Here are a few options on how you can “birth” this idea
- Write it down, then write down what you are going to do about it and the steps you are going to take to achieve it
- Make a “new year’s resolution” –this time is the start of the new sun year. There is less pressure on new year’s resolutions in June!
- Commit to a new relationship (with yourself or someone else – how you are going to show-up in the next 12 months)
- Plan your steps toward a new career move or new project.
- Re-birth or rejuvenate something that may have suffered a death in the last year.
Finally, draw a symbol (can be something you have seen before or your own) to represent the celebration of the new sun year and the new idea.
Happy Winter Solstice Everyone!