The 21st of December marks the Winter Solstice for the northern hemisphere. This is the day when the sun stands still (which is the meaning of the word solstice) at the lowest point in the sky. After this day she will begin to ascend again - hence the use of phrases such as “rebirth of the sun” or “return of the light”. We’ve reached a turning point and from here, our days will begin to get longer and longer until we reach the peak of the sun’s height at the Summer Solstice in June.
For some, the Winter Solstice marks the commencement of a new journey around the wheel of the year and the celebration of Yule. Yule is a pagan holiday that coincides with the winter solstice. It is a celebration of faith. Amid the longest and darkest night of the year, we hold tight to the hope that the sun will return. Misty Bell Stiers writes my favorite description of this holiday in her book “Witch Please”. She says that “Yulecelebrates the tenacity of a world that will not give up in the midst of darkness, a world prepared to welcome in the light.”
Yule invites us to connect with the sacred cycles of nature. We are encouraged to slow down and rest in preparation for new growth in the coming Spring. And much like winterizing our gardens, Yule provides an opportunity to look inward and do a little tidying up - to discard things that are no longer needed or that are no longer serving us.
To learn more about embodying the energy of the seasons or working with the eight holidays within the Wheel of the Year, check out episode twelve of my Spiritual Dance Podcast titled "Dancing with the Seasons." CLICK HERE to listen or read the transcript. You can also find a dance-along-with-me movement meditation for the solstice on my YouTube Channel
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WINTER SOLSTICE 2020:
This year's solstice comes with many other noteworthy aspects. We have the much anticipated Grand Conjunction. Jupiter and Saturn have now both entered the sign of Aquarius, an event that astrologers are calling “the birth of the Age of Aquarius”. Aquarian energy is all about freedom, revolution, and rebellion in order to create a better future for society as a whole. Aquarius is solution-focused and wants to “think outside the box” when creating new ideas and solutions to humanitarian issues.
Fun facts: The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happens every 20 years and in the same part of the sky every 800 years or so. This rare alignment is what some are referring to as the “Christmas Star” because when the two planets are this close, they look like one giant star in the sky. Try and view this spectacular sight if you can! This particular conjunction being so close to us is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Look to the horizon in the southwest sky about an hour after sunset.
