The Winter Solstice marks the return of the light because the days now get longer and the nights shorter.
Ever since the Summer Solstice in which we experience the longest day, the days have gradually become shorter and the nights longer. We all feel the impact of the darkness when we are starting and ending our days in the dark and it can feel like it will never end.
We can always learn from nature and so the darkness of the seasons and the return of the light got me thinking about human life and the dark moments that we encounter.
We all experience difficult and challenging times whether it be a death, a loss, a relationship breakdown, a negative financial situation, a health complication or illness, bullying, a job loss, or a number of other life circumstances.
When these experiences engulf us, it can feel overwhelming, scary and completely exhausting.
It feels like the sadness will never end.
It feels like the bad times are all that you are experiencing and all that you will continue to experience.
It feels unfair.
It feels like you will never smile again.
It feels like you are so lost in the darkness that you will never find your way out.
But just as the sun rises every morning bringing with it the light that ends the dark of the night, we too experience our own sun rising in us and ending our dark night.
There is no escaping the difficult times, and in truth we shouldn't escape them because some of our greatest lessons, growth and evolution happen there.
There is beauty in the darkness.
The key is to learn from the darkness and use it to propel you back to the light.
So this Winter Solstice why not take the time to slow down and reflect on the questions below:
How different am I from the person that I was at the last Winter Solstice (21st December 2022)
Where were you in your life, who were you, what were your thoughts, how did you feel, what habits and behaviours did you have and compare these to where you are now. Do you like the change? If not, what can you do to change again? If you do, then how can you grow from this point?
As we now return to the light, what have been my darkest moments in the last 6 months and what did I learn from each dark moment?
What were the really difficult moments in which you struggled? How did you make it through? What did you learn while making it through?
What brought me light and joy over the last 6 months? How do I continue to include these in my days ahead?
What people, places, things, activities brought you joy and light into your life? Are you making time for these in your future?
What is hiding in the dark that I don't want to face but need to shine a light on so that it can be alchemized?
Be really honest with yourself because it is only when we face our shadows and our fears that we stop being controlled by them.
What am I leaving in the dark and not taking into the light because it no longer serves me?
What beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, opinions, people, responsibilities, narratives, fears, expectations are holding you back, weighing heavy on your shoulders and do not support you?
Choose to leave them here and do not take them into your new year.
What am I planting so that I can nurture ready to bloom in the Spring?
What are you setting as your intentions into the soil of your life? What do you want?
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