Tag Archives: mistletoe

Soulful Winter Solstice Rituals

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“Winter is not a season it is a celebration.”  
– Anamika Mishra

In deep darkness Winter Solstice holds the promise of the life-giving force of the sun. Sol’s radiance is celebrated on December 21/22 by nearly every culture in the world with simple rituals that ignite new beginnings. In China Winter Solstice is signified by the I-Ching hexagram, Fu, “Retuning”.

But whar does “Returning” mean for you? Winter Solstice begins the transformation of dark to light. This longest night is a tipping point where sunlight will now rise in prominence again. Setting aside personal time to immerse yourself in winter’s stillness will help you reap the benefits from shedding the old to feeling renewed. Partaking in soulful winter solstice rituals create space to contemplate your inner light and like the sun, to return to trust, to recharge and to carefully develop what is new. 

Oh the Soul Loves Ritual
Welcome The Sun With A Solstice Altar
Creating a Soulful Winter Solstice rituals practice includes an altar. They create a deeply personal experience. You can make it as simple or elaborate as you wish. Search for foliage in your home garden or a neighboring green space that is meaningful for you. Gather branches and berries and intertwine these with candles or fairy lights. For the Druids red holly berries were a symbol of fertility and eternal life and were thought to have magical powers because the tree stayed green and strong. Branches and twigs were brought into the home to protect it from malevolent fairies and to shelter fairies from friction between them and the human occupants. Pine, spruce and firs, as well, represent eternal life because they remained green throughout the year. Adding an evergreen bough to your altar will give it a powerful freshness. In traditions long past they were considered to ward off ghosts and illness. Mistletoe, treated as a sacred plant by the Druids, is believed to not only give protection against diseases but is also a symbol of peace and prosperity. Hanging it on the threshold it was thought to ward off evil spirits and ensure vitality and fertility (so hang it from your door and maybe there will be a kiss coming your way).

Anything bright, shiny, gold and yellow symbolizes the sun. The colors of the season, red, white, green and gold come from ancient roots. These colors brighten the home during the darkness of winter and are a reminder that spring will come.
• Red, the color of poinsettias and holly berries, is a symbol of fiery passion and sensuality. It also represents the life force that endures in coldest times.
• Gold depicts sunshine and light and is a symbol of prosperity, abundance and the energy that fuels life.
• Red and gold together are the colors of fire which warms your soul.
• Green represents renewal, eternal life and Nature. It is a reminder of the continuous cycles of growth and rebirth.
• White is the symbol of purity and peace and the serenity of snow. It also signifies the blank slate you’ve created for the coming year.

Foods For Wintertide Warmth
A traditional Chinese winter solstice dish is dumplings while in Korea solstice is celebrated with Patjuk – glutinous rice balls in a sweet porridge made from adzuki beans. Koreans believe that color red wards off evil spirits. The red beans wish good luck for the new year. Pine needles (check for edible varieties) may be made into a hot tea. Pomegranates are a traditional winter solstice food of Iran’s Shab-e Yalda celebrations. Yalda means birth or rebirth. The vibrant red fruit symbolizes dawn and life. Gingerbread is a later yuletide tradition. It’s easy to prepare, warming and delicious. Shortbread from Scandinavian tradition made in round forms represents the sun. In Western European cultures soups, stews and hearty meals were prepared to drive the cold winter away.

Welcome Back the Sun
As early as 900s a tree was placed in the fireplace with the wide end of the trunk first so it would burn from on Christmas day until January 5. In modern times a specially chosen, decorated log is placed in a fireplace to bring luck and fortune to the household. The Yule log symbolizes the light returning to conquer the darkness. It is a ritual of welcoming back the sun and the warmth it brings. Sprinkling minerals or wine onto the burning log would make the log’s flames burn with color such as table salt produced bright yellow, potassium nitrate made violet, borax produced a vivid green.

Set Your Soul Ablaze
One of the Winter Solstice Rituals I enjoy is musing upon an open flame in a fire pit or fireplace. However a burning candle(s) will work too. Gazing into a flame or flames and listening to the soft crackle in the dark evening hours is a beautiful underscore for the mind to contemplate the past year and makes plans for the future.

Time spent on reflection fosters peace, inner stillness and calm. These elements harmonize the body and mind and elevate your emotions. Then as the energy begins to rise in the coming year you will have the inner reserves to meet both opportunities and challenges.

Allow me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. Details are at this link Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house. 

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

photo credit: Alena Kondrusik

Simple Rituals To Welcome Winter

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“Although the night is long, there is a light that never goes out.”
–Sage Goddess

For centuries humankind has celebrated winter solstice with rituals. Stories of herbs and trees transforming into fairies and mythical kings recount the return of the light. Gathered around the yuletide are traditions that honor the spirits of the home and land. “In Italy the ancestral spirits who protect the crossroads also guard the family and live in the hearths where children hang brightly colored stockings to be filled by La Befana. Her name literally means ‘epiphany’, the original meaning of which is ‘manifestation or sudden appearance of a divine or supernatural being’ or ‘sudden understanding as to the nature of something.’ (Circle of the Sacred Muse).” The same ‘sudden understanding’ is observed as a ‘sudden awakening’ in Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui. So perhaps there is a universal truth, a knowing, that transcends time and location where honoring the seasons and performing rituals invoke the blessings of Heaven and Earth.

Simple rituals to welcome winter
Adorning your home summons the blessings that accompany the solstice. Red and green or silver and gold candles along the window ledge lure the returning sun. Boughs of evergreen draped inside represent rebirth with pine symbolizing healing and joy. Holly offers protection from evil influences that roam during winter. Mistletoe above the headboard promotes fertility and abundance. Frankincense when lit purifies and accelerates spiritual growth.

Release and let yourself rise
A new year is approaching. Relinquishing habits and beliefs will help you tap your unlimited potential. Write out what you wish to give up with a new black pen. On the night of the winter solstice light a candle. Add some orange essential oil or burn orange peel on a plate. Silently read the list and thank each entry, then light the paper, watch it flicker and feel the epiphany lift your heart.

Ritual cleaning
Cleaning can be an invocation to create a fresh start. Wash your floors and countertops with rosemary and sage essential oil diluted in water. Move 27 items to generate new luck. Replace the sheets on your bed and add a lavender sachet under the pillow.

Reflect on what brightens your light
Kindness, compassion, mindfulness, charity and camaraderie come to mind. What words and what daily rituals brighten your heart? The year ahead will wax and wane. Begin a regular practice at this peak time will aid you in any shift that eclipses your light.

Replenish your body
Winter can be harsh on the liver and kidneys. Preparing root vegetables like beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, celeriac, carrots and turnips in warming soups remind us that when circumstances uproot our stability we can look to Mother Earth to ground us. Evergreens like kale and spinach represent longevity and initiate something new.

Repair a heart, pay it forward
The season is a reminder of the good fortune that surrounds us but for some it is filled with suffering and scarcity. If you want to make a positive difference donate food, volunteer your time or perform good deeds. Your efforts may remove the humiliation of those who experience less fortunate circumstances and help them see compassion exists in the world.

“May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night and may your days be abundantly blessed.”

Have you decided this will be your year? “Boldness has genius”… start with one hour of Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.