Today is the December solstice. Up here in the northern hemisphere it marks the shortest day of the year, the longest night, and the start of winter. Down in the southern hemisphere it is the longest day of the year and the start of summer.
I feel like it is a magical and somewhat mysterious day, and I like to enjoy the solstice by celebrating my connection to the earth and nature. A walk outside with my dog and a pause, to take a few moments to enjoy the beauty around us of a winter’s day.
Celebrate the solstice. Take a moment to pause and reflect on it. Read on to get some ideas of celebration rituals whether you are in the southern or northern hemisphere.
Incorporate a celebration ritual into the day made up of one or more of these activities:
1. Choose seasonal activities that bring you joy and help you connect with the earth. Perhaps as part of your celebration ritual for the first day of that season you will choose one or two seasonal activities. Some examples are outdoor walking or sports, crafts using the natural materials available to you outside at that time, such as winter wreaths, summer wreaths made from grasses and wildflowers, art and writing using the natural world around you for inspiration for your visual art or poetry or songs. And cooking seasonal dishes.
2. Gratitude journaling for that season. Write a list of things that you are grateful for specific to the season. The list can be as long or as short as you like, just let it flow, brainstorm, and you may be surprised how much flows out of your heart onto the page.
3. Write down your intention for that season? What do you plan to do this season. Also write at least the first few action steps that you need to take to make the plans happen.
4. Meditation centred around that season. Either find a guided meditation online, in a book, or get creative and write your own. It doesn’t have to be long, even just a few minutes long meditation will help you to reconnect with the earth and the universe.
5. Art journaling for the season. Draw or collage an image or images to depict what the season means to you in your life right now or your intention for this season. Or you can just draw and collage a celebration of the season, depicting the visual images that you think of when you are in the season.
By incorporating some of these activities into a ritual the day of the solstice, you will be celebrating the season. And in doing so you will also be reconnecting with your inner core essence, and deepening your connection with the earth and the universe.
You may wish to download my free 33 page PDF:Guided Workbook: 5 Ways to Celebrate the Seasons of the Year. It includes workbook activities and a meditation for each season to help you reawaken your creativity and reconnect with your inner core essence while you celebrate your Earth connection and the seasons. I keep my free resources, and this PDF Guided Workbook, available for download, in a free resource library. The library is open to everyone for free, all you need is the password to get in, which you can get HERE.