seasons, Uncategorized
Do you know what today is?
Today is the Winter Solstice and tonight will be the longest night of the year. And starting tomorrow the hours of daylight will slowly start to lengthen day by day.
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin word “sol” meaning sun and “sistere” meaning to stand still. The sun will appear to be in the same place as it sets.
This is also the official start of Winter which ends with the Vernal Equinox on March 2022 when the days and nights will again be of equal length.
OK enough of the whys and wherefores. It majorly seems at this time of year that we are also being barraged by ads for this sale and that and by helpful articles on self-care. Our in boxes are full to overflowing and then our heads feels stuffed.
Our moods sometimes drop with the temperatures when we look at our to-do lists. We feel cooped up due to the weather but know there are still things we need to do and go get and then the baking and wrapping and we go down our lists.
But what if the cold longer nights at this time of year are rather nature’s way of telling us to slow down and for us to be still also. Now is the time to pause and rest. This is also a time to turn your energy inward as much as you are feeling the urge to go go go.
This can be a time for reflection as the old year winds down and the one that appears on the horizon is bright and shiny and new with all sorts of possibilities.
I am not talking about making another list of things to do or a list of new year’s resolutions but just seeing a new beginning and taking a pause and a moment to ponder it and to just be.
How about drawing a bath and shutting the door on all the crazy for a bit? This can be your Winter Ritual and can bring some peace and stillness into your life.
Think of this as honoring yourself.
Close the door and strike a match and light a candle. This is not hard and can become easier the more you do it, I promise. Just sit and breathe in and out and listen to your heartbeat.
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