Winter Solstice Ritual
Long before humanity lived life in a linear way (meaning same routines, same activities throughout the entire year), we would allow nature’s cycles to give structure to the great tapestry of life. Both the solstices & the equinoxes marked important shifts on the energy that’s to come for the next period, we can see them as cues Mother Earth gives us for guidance. Now, because of modern technology & other reasons, we’ve become really alienated and detached from these natural rhythms. Nevertheless, the reality is that these cycles still affect us, whether we want it or not. So why not step into these portals in a conscious, respectful and intentional way? In the end, life without intention is pretty boring and meaningless. So here we go…
Let us begin from the very top. What does the word “solstice” mean?
“The word solstice comes from the latin sōlstitium, which comes from the parts sōl, “sun,” and sistere, “to stand still.” This means that sōlstitium literally translates to something like “the standing still of the sun.”
Now of course there’s not an absolute standing still nor from the Earth nor from the Sun, they’re always in a constant dance. However, it is true that Winter Solstice marks the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere, and thus the day with the least amount of light in the entire year. We could see this as a cold and dark day, or we can see this as the rebirth. While this marks the shortest day & the longest night, it also means that the Earth now starts shifting its axis little by little, giving us more warmth and more light from today onwards ‘till we reach the Summer Solstice in June 2023.
I invite you to have a look into this video here where you’ll be able to perfectly understand the Earth’s axis tilting and its cosmic dance around the Sun.
So yes, the darkest day of the year… As with all in life, it depends on a matter of our perspective and of our conscious decisions. We can either let the darkness reign over us, take over us & wash us away in fear, or we can be conscious creators of our lives & remember that it is in the darkness that some of our greatest talents & treasures lie. Winter Solstice is a huge call for us to a) honor our inner darkness, our inner winter solstice and to b) remember that after the darkest moment there’s always a rebirth. A tilting point, a rising of the phoenix.
In the Pagan or Wiccan tradition, this is known as “Yule”, which is seen as “the longest night of the year followed by the sun’s rebirth and lengthening of days.” This is such an important symbol in the changes of nature’s rhythms that they actually view this as the beginning of the new year, making Yule one of the biggest festivals of the year. In the spiritual & energetic realm there’s rules, and one of them is “as above as below, as within as without". So in essence, this Winter Solstice is also a representation of our microcosmos, of our inner winter, our inner darkness, and our inner ability to start growing stronger and further into the light one step at a time.
And yes, I know we speak a lot these days about letting go, about shedding, about releasing, about rebirthing. We maybe say it so much that we actually take the essence & importante out of it. But, as the Earth becomes still, I invite you to become still as well. I invite you to truly observe what you’re shedding in your life at this moment, whether this is a relationship, a profession, a way of relating to yourself or to the world. And if you’re not aware of what you’re shedding, try to simply connect to the Earth’s energy of letting go that’s so tangible on this day.
Just like an ice cube that starts to melt, this is what the Winter solstice comes here to remind us. A portal to surrender, to release our shields, to let the sun start melting all those layers of rigidness, control & protection. As we move into brighter days, the sun now starts to bring light into our darkness, and this my loves, is the core essence of shadow work. The exact time for the Winter Solstice portal is 4.48pm EST, however, if you can’t do any witchy rituals at that time that’s okay, you can do this at night as well.
Okay, let’s get practical now. I want to share with you a Winter Solstice ritual that will guide you in both setting intentions for the cycle to come & in releasing whatever you’re ready to let go of (yes, those things that you deep down know aren’t longer serving your soul’s evolution anymore). And trust me, I know, letting go can be uncomfortable af* but when you imagine yourself how much lighter your walk upon this Earth could be, how much graciousness and blessings come from being light in heart & in spirit, then the releasing becomes much easier. Letting go of those “safety nets” are necessary to taste the sweet and powerful flavor of inner freedom & transformation.
YOUR WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL
As a fire sign, I truly love working with the element of fire, so for this ritual you will need:
A candle
Matches or lighter
2 Pieces of Paper
Pen
Palo santo, incense or sage
The first step for our ritual is finding an intimate and cozy space, one where you can tune into yourself & listen to your intuition. Then, make sure you have all the materials at hand and find a comfortable seat. Now, we begin this ritual by lighting up the candle. Important! When you light up the candle, I want you to do this in a very intentional & conscious way, not in auto pilot. Feel yourself summoning your inner light when you light the match on, and feel yourself igniting your gifts, your desires, & your truth when you light the candle on.
Next step is to clear the space and yourself with palo santo, an incense, sage or any similar smudge tool that allows you to clear the energy around and drop into space. Once you’ve cleared yourself and the space, grab your 1st piece of paper & pen, and begin your Releasing Letter around questions like:
What relationships are no longer serving my highest purpose?
Which attitudes am I ready to leave behind?
What are some things my heart is craving to let go of?
What do I no longer want to carry with me for this next cycle
What are some habits or frequent thoughts that keep me safe & small?
These are just sample questions but you get the point. This first letter is about becoming aware of the things you want to leave behind. Try to be honest with yourself & to write from your heart. This is a very safe practice so try to be your most fearless version when deciding what you want to let go of, if necessary, you can call upon the energy of Goddess Kali to help you in this process.
Once you’ve finished expressing yourself, you can sign the letter off with a simple “Thank you for the lessons & the teachings, I am now ready to grow & evolve. I now release us and return you to the eternal light.” Afterwards, tear this piece of paper in pieces and find a safe space where you can burn this. Clear your space again after you’ve finished this process.
Before we move on to the second part of this ritual, I want you to meditate quietly for some minutes. Try to visualize all those things you wished to let go of, actually being released from your body. Like the ice melting, let these burdens melt away from your body and return to light. Breathe deeply and observe if you feel any changes within you, perhaps you feel lighter?
The second letter we’re going to be writing is the Calling In Letter. You can see this as a letter of intention or a wishlist of the things/qualities you are now ready to receive, to cultivate. These are the new seeds you want to be planting in your garden. So here are a few questions that can help guide your process:
What am I ready to receive from the Universe?
What do I want to consciously call into my life?
Which gifts am I ready to discover within?
How do I want to move forwards in this new cycle?
Which habits, projects, attitudes do I want to start nurturing?
Once you’'ve finished, sign off this letter as: “Thank you. Creator of all that is, it is commanded that this or something better now manifests for the best and highest good of all involved. In divine timing, so be it.”
Fold this letter (don’t break this one!) so it's about pocket size and blow on it 3 times, sealing the letter with your prayer. Place this letter next to the lit candle, and visualize yourself handing your intentions to the light, to your guides & to divinity itself. If you have an altar you could also place your letter there. Spend some time basking in the feelings of these things already happening in your life.
As Shakti Gawain explains in her Creative Visualization book, connecting to the feelings is key in the great mystery of manifestation.
Please feel free to reach out and share with me how this ritual felt for you, or to share anything else that came up for you. Now, all that’s left to do is trust that brighter days are ahead, and that when the time comes to put our intentions and projects into action, the cue will be loud & clear (and yes you guessed it, this is the Spring Equinox!)
But that’s another story, for now, I leave you as I prepare for my own Winter Solstice Ritual.
With love & gratitude,
Sofia
PS. Oh and I almost forgot! Here’s a music playlist you can play throughout your Winter Solstice ritual.
