Blessed Winter Solstice, Yule & the beginning of Capricorn season! Yet another seasonal change is upon us and in the Northern hemisphere today marks the return of the light and the end of our many months long journey through the darkest part of the year.
As many people may see this deeper movement towards the Winter Solstice as somewhat of a death, I also see it as a rebirth, a rebirthing of the sun, the tipping point in the wheel of the year when the days reach their shortest and the nights are longest. During this time the sun reaches its lowest point, appearing to stand still for a few days until the light begins to slowly grow again, gaining momentum little by little, reaching maximum light once again at the Summer Solstice.
After a long year of so much outward physical growth alongside the plants, just like their energy going back to the roots, the inward seasons have finally arrived. For the next few months my priorities will be shifting from herb farming and medicine making towards more personal creative pursuits such as writing, painting, singing, dreaming, resting & reflecting.
So grateful to witness such beautiful cycles of life, death and rebirth, and see ourselves as part of these deeper cycles as well. We are not separate from the Earth, the stars or the sea. I am you and you are me. May we walk thought these last of the darkest days of the year with courage and wisdom, trust in new beginnings, and remember that each and every moment is a gift.
On this beautiful Winter Solstice day as the Earth around us deeply exhales, softens and sleeps, we are invited to turn ever deeper inward, to reflect upon the seasons that have gone, and to tend and feed the fire in our hearts and our hearths with the promise of the brighter days yet to come.