Winter Solstice Ritual
We have now come reached the Cross Quarter Point, in the Celtic Calendar. The Winter Solstice and Midwinter is the longest night and the shortest day of the year.
After three days the cycle changes again, as the sun begins its ascent from the darkness, and light and warmth seep back into our lives. During this time we are urged to turn inward and hibernate, in order to reflect, integrate and evaluate the past year.
During these long winter nights take this time to vision how you will use your gifts and talents for the coming year. We are at the peak of Winter, where the veils between the worlds are thin, and we at our most potent to hear our inner wisdom.
Find a time when all your chores are completed and you have some space for you. Create a sacred space by lighting some incense and candles, and put on some ambient music if that will help you to relax. Sit, or lie comfortably either on the floor or a chair and breathe deeply.
As you draw in the inbreath imagine you are drawing up any fear, anxiety and tension up into your lungs, and as you exhale imagine it leaving your body. Do this three times. Allow all the stress to ebb out of your body. Focus on the body sensations, and become the observer of your thoughts, until you feel relaxed and at peace.
Now bring yourself back to the present moment and become fully aware of your body sitting in the chair/lying on the floor. Close your eyes, and keep them closed for the duration of this ritual.
Take your attention to the top of the head and feel a warm, calm energy start flowing down from the top of your head, across your face, to your neck, shoulders, throat, chest, stomach, abdomen, and hips.
Bring your attention back to the back of the head, and feel the warm calm energy flow down the neck and back of the shoulders, down the back and spine, into the pelvis. Make sure the whole top part of your torso is feeling calm and relaxed. Then feel this warm, calm, peaceful energy flow down into the thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet and toes. Feel this loving, calm energy flow around your body.
With your eyes closed bring your attention to your solar plexus chakra, the place justabove the navel, and imagine a white/golden light beginning to glow from the centre. This is your power place, the place of creation. Allow the energy and light to increase in power. Now ask yourself these questions:
Who am I ?
The first thoughts that you have is the truth of who you are, it’s the deepest part of yourself coming through before all the conditioning, patterns, behaviours and expectations flood our mind. Catch your first thoughts to understand who you really are.
Am I fulfilling my life purpose?
You will immediately know the answer on an intuitive level…without reacting, allow yourself to accept the truth at the deepest level, because it is only when we accept the truth of who we really are that we can change. If you receive the message that you are not fulfilling your purpose you can ask
What do I need to do in order to fulfil my purpose?
Really allow yourself to entertain any idea or thought that immediately pops into your head without judgement. The less we judge ourselves the easier it is to hear our inner voice. We all have the answers deep inside and sometimes it can take a while before we are able to consciously hear it and accept it. However, by asking these questions we begin to connect our deepest desires with our consciousness, so we can finally start making the changes we need, to find real harmony and happiness in our lives.
What would my perfect life look and feel like?
Imagine your perfect outcome (if you haven’t yet created it). Feel the sensation of having your dreams come true. Allow this feeling to cascade throughout your body, filling it with positive, creative, and inspirational energy. Ask your inner self to show you the way to create it with signs and miracles. Commit to following them when they appear.
Whenever negative emotions arise, just allow the sensations of your dreams coming true flow through your body. The key is not to lose hope, even when you feel no progress is being made. Remain true to yourself, patient, and with no doubt that everything is possible, and let the miracles happen.
If you have the opportunity to see the solstice sunrise send your prayers, dreams and visions out into the universe, and become aware of how the arrows you have shot in the air are finding their destination in the coming months.