“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.
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photo credit: Alena Kondrusik
