As the Wheel of the Year turns and we near winter and her fertile darkness, the time of greatest shadow, we are reminded of the inner fire that illuminates, that liberates- the ecstatic spark of light held within.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice on 12/21 marks the longest night of the year and the cosmic return of the sun.

Across many world traditions and nature based spiritual practices, this time of the year is a time of collective celebration, hope and trust. Trust that warmer, brighter days are ahead. As we herald in the return of the light, there’s a sense of rebirth, re-emergence and re-awakening.

This time of the year is always a powerful time to set intentions and release the old. You are celestially encouraged during this seasonal juncture to pause, reflect, and rejoice in all the joys and bounty from the past year, as well as set intentions for what you want to nurture in this next cycle. When we are able to sync our personal life rhythms and intentions with the greater cosmic cycles, the easier it becomes to lean into and trust collective support as we navigate changes and the seasons of life.

Stay open to whatever wisdom and intuitive insights come through during this time of rest, reflection and renewal. Rather than forcing anything, allow what needs to reveal itself or be released to do so.

And so it is.

What you’ll need:

Sacred Space: This can be at home or outside in nature, anywhere you feel held, secure and supported in this work. Grab something comfy to sit on, as well as a cloth or scarf to act as a base for your altar.

Greens + Smudge: Traditional herbal allies for Winter Solstice rituals are evergreens, such as pine, fir, juniper or cedar, as well as bay leaves, holy, cloves, cinnamon, oranges, and frankincense. These are symbols of eternal life, vitality, clarity, harmony, protection, purification & prosperity. Grab your favorite smudge, which could be one of the above herbal allies, palo santo, rosemary, or your favorite incense.

Lights: From the festival of lights of a menorah, to fairy lights on a Christmas tree, longer nights ask us to shine our own lights in the darkness. Gather any candles, electric or battery powered lights you have and create a circle of light to help illuminate and concentrate your focus.

Burn That Shit: If you have a fire safe dish, bowl, cauldron etc, grab it. A fire place is perfect too. If you are unable to safely burn something in your sacred space, a few fiery fierce exhales out the mouth combined with the intention to release is perfect too!

Journal: For personal reflections. I always love to look back at what I was steeping in and setting my visions on the year prior.

PART ONE: CREATE

Using what you’ve gathered, create a sacred space that resonates and inspires you. Put down a cloth or scarf as your base. Now it’s time to get creative: assemble in a circular or star formation at the center of your altar any of the greenery you’ve gathered. Some greenery can be put in a vase or small jar, this helps bring in the element of water.

Light your candles (element of fire), gather photos of loved ones, crystals (earth element), trust whatever you feel intuitively called to add to the altar.

Moving clockwise, smudge your space, then smudge yourself from your crown, down the central channel, arms, to your feet clearing the energy and blessing the space (air/ ether element).

Find your seat and prepare to journal.

PART 2: REFLECT

Pause and reflect on the entire unfolding of this past year. Think back to any intentions you might have set at the beginning of this cycle, or at any of the potent junctures along the way as the Wheel of the Year turned.

1.) What were your moments of greatest JOY?! Your full body yes moments, those times of blossoming fullness, of JAI, meaning victory on your path.

How did you grow or transform this past year? What did you accomplish? What boons are you bringing with you into this next cycle?

2.) Were there any seed intentions or goals you set that didn’t get a chance to come into fruition? Be compassionate and honest with yourself: did you take time to honor what was in your heart this past year?

Have you honored the ways your heart, your wisdom, your love wants to move through you and into your life? Why or why not?

If not, what’s been holding you back? What inner or outer life circumstances, ways of beings, ideas, fears, etc kept you from tending to those seed desires?

One of our big themes this past year for our ritual gatherings, whether in Moon Circle, on retreat, or in class, was being un-bound. Awakening to our gifts and courageous sharing our magic with the world.

3.) What golden gems reside within you that are ready to be revealed? What gifts are you ready to step into? What makes you feel alive? What brings you joy?! What lights you up!? What makes your heart sing?!

Set the intention to live next year in a way that tends to and supports you living from a place that honors your hearts deepest desire.

Take a moment to embody that intention: what that would feel like? What would it look like? What needs to happen to fulfill that desire?

PART 3: BURN

Fire has the alchemical power to transform, release as well as bless. Use your fire safe container to alchemize your prayers.

Inspired by your journaling for the second prompt, write down on a small piece of paper what you are truly ready to release- anything that’s been holding you back, any old ways of being, fears or doubts.

On another small piece of paper distill your reflections from the third prompt and write down what you are ready to receive, ready to call in, to step into fully into.

One at a time, offer these prayers into the flames. Try to always release with gratitude for the lessons and areas of growth, especially the hard ones. Our words are powerful, be intentional and be ready to really receive and let go what your releasing into the flames.

No fireplace? Take some long fierce exhales out the mouth, visualize anything you’re letting go of releasing on the exhale.

Now go out and share your light with the world!

On the Wheel of the Year, Imbolc is the midway point between the fertile darkness of the Winter Solstice and the blossoming of the Spring Equinox. During this period of time we begin to feel the first stirrings of Spring and the energy of renewal, re-awakening and initiation. This time of the year nature is pregnant with life- Imbolc in gaelic means ‘in the belly’, traditionally referring to the pregnancy of ewes at this time.

Think of this period as a potent time for patience and gestation before full materialization of spring and the bounty of summer. It is a time to prepare the soil, nurture the flower beds with nutrients, and tend to our foundations, before planting the seeds of spring. In order for anything to grow, to flourish, we must first start at our base, our home, our temple. This is all connected to intuitive, ancestral knowing and root chakra wisdom.

Let nature be your guide and greatest teacher. Align with this new cycle of rejuvenation, shed your winter skin, and welcome in the return of the sun by syncing your inner flow with the rhythms of nature. Have you felt a shift from the fertile receptivity of winter hibernation, to the first buzzing of spring? It feels like a soft awakening, the initial stirring and urge to clear out and prepare for rebirth. Spring is near.

Imbolc Rituals For Tending Your Inner & Outer Altar:

Inner Altar: Ritual cleansing is something we intuitively feel called to during this time of the year. Lean in. Imbolc is a traditional time of purification, in fact one of the symbols of this magical portal is the flame. What has been dulling your inner heart fire? I’ve found for myself, what was needed or supportive during the period of Winter hibernation, is not always in alignment with what serves me and my highest vibration in the next cycle. Take stock: what’s serving you still, and what’s not? This is an opportunity to reflect and lean into physical and energetic clearing. Make space for something new to arise.

One of my favorite practices of renewal during this time of the year is a ritual bath. Hot, steamy and salty to cleanse and clear. I've been drawn to rose, ylang ylang and sandalwood oils for my baths lately (just a few drops of each), but listen to what you are naturally drawn to. You can also make a bath tea infusion using traditional Imbolc herbs: angelica, basil, bay laurel, blackberry, iris, cedarwood, rosemary and lavendar, bundled in a muslin cloth or bag. If you live somewhere where flowers are already blooming, add some in as well. Steep, release and soak.

Surround yourself by soft candle light and give yourself the gift of spacious retreat. Turn off your phone and go inwards. Allow yourself to drop into spontaneous meditation, release, call in and visualize your seed desires. Feel the final shedding of your Winter layers as you drain the tub and blow out your candles.

Outer Altar: clear, de-clutter and refresh your home temple. Your altar, your sacred space for self reflection, meditation and home practice is your personal reflection and connection with the divine. Honor your sacred space by dusting, removing any wilted flowers, ashes or melted wax. Let this cleansing extend into the rest of your home. Wipe down all surfaces with a diluted lavender + eucalyptus blend. Open all the windows and doors of your home. Going clockwise, air out and smudge with locally sourced sustainable herbs (such as bay leaves, purple sage, juniper, cedar or rosemary).

Inner/ Outer Altar Attunement: cleanse, reset, connect and prepare for the auspicious creative energy of Spring through mantra. This will clear and re-align you on a cellular level, and when chanted aloud, will act as a clearing intention setting for your space. Invoke the auspicious energy and blessing of new beginnings with the mantra of Ganesha:

Ganesha Sharanam, Sharanam Ganesha
Gam Ganapataye Namo Namah

Ganesha: the remover of obstacles. Born out of the clay and created by one of the Great Hindu Goddesses Parvati, Ganesha is also connected with the root chakra and the elemental energy of the earth.

Sharanam: a doorway, the entry into a new moment. Take refuge in where you are now, prepare for the unfolding and all the blessings of what is to come.

Gam Ganapataye: Gam is the bija, the seed sound of Ganesha. Ganapataye, another name for Ganesha.

Namo Namah: offering from the heart

Can we accept and embrace this new phase and moment with expansiveness and clarity? For me, this is the energy of Ganesha. The clearing of any dissonant perceptions, any obstacles, any fears held within. Call upon that aspect of yourself that is eternal, release any heaviness you’ve been holding onto.

Repeat 27, 54 or 108 times

Pause, reflect and sit with the vibrations.

Here we are. Beginning again, preparing our foundations, tending to our home, our inner and outer sacred spaces, so we can soon emerge with the full blossoming of Spring. Jai!

Winter Solstice Reflections & Rituals