Winter Solstice
The winter solstice is December 21st and marks the shortest day (least daylight) and longest night as the Earth in the northern hemisphere is at its maximum tilt away from the sun. In modern cultures we tend to look at it as a gloomy time or if we’re being positive, we look at the fact that we will be slowly gaining daylight. At first, it's imperceptible at only a few seconds per day until March when we gain several minutes per day.
Years ago, my wife and I started to do a ceremony on the solstice which was introduced to us by a Native American Shaman. In brief, we would discuss how the solstice is a time to celebrate death. More specifically, the dying off of crops, and other vegetation. In the ceremony we would then make a list of 4 things in our life that we would like to dye off or eliminate in our life.
At that point we fold up the paper, meditate on it, be grateful for the lessons that we learned and burn the papers in a fire. After burning some sage, we then start to do the “Four Seeds” ceremony. This is a Native American ritual that often represents the planting and growth of crops. It typically involves the use of four types of seeds, each symbolizing different aspects such as spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. The ceremony is a way of connecting with nature, expressing gratitude, and seeking balance and harmony in various aspects of life. After some thought, we make the 4 seeds more practical and transform them into what we want to sow into our lives for the next year. Like a goal setting ceremony of sorts, however it feels a bit more purposeful. This is written down and we put it in our planner to look at, make strategies for, visualize and take action.
The solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years and can be evidenced by the building of some famous megalith structures such as Stonehenge which aligns with the sunrise and sunset of the winter solstice. There are many more examples of this that you can search if you are interested.
The beauty of the solstice lies in its timeless spirit. It’s essence—celebrating light, renewal, and connection—remains alive throughout the season. Feel free to perform this ceremony whenever it resonates with you, alongside the people you love most. We’d love to hear how it went for you!
