For many, Winter Solstice is a night to dread. The longest night of the year. The shortest day of the year. No matter how much we may dislike the long hours of darkness we can’t get away from it, even with our fancy electric lights and sun lamps. It is simply a part of nature’s cycles caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis as it travels around the sun.
In yoga philosophy, suffering is seen as unmet expectations or desires. This gives us agency over our suffering. Pain, discomfort, and disappointment are part of the human experience, but we are the cause of our own suffering. The Winter Solstice is something we cannot change. It is part of nature’s cycles. It is a great opportunity to practice radical acceptance – the acknowledgment of the dark even though we may not be happy about it.
When we look at historical practices in northerly climates, we see the Winter Solstice being embraced as a time for celebration. In many places, it was known as some form of Yule. When Christianity began to take over this part of the world many of those same practices evolved into a lot of the Christmas traditions we know and love today.
Choosing to celebrate the darkest night of the year is just actively looking at it from another perspective – the return of the light. Going forward we gain more light each day. If you haven’t celebrated the return of the light before I suggest giving it a try this year. Celebrate tonight or incorporate it into your holiday festivities in the days to come.
Some ideas for celebrating the return of light:
Light your space with candles (please practice responsibly if using real candles)
Spend extra time with family and friends who are part of your pandemic bubble playing games, putting together puzzles, or singing carols
Bundle up and spend time looking at the stars and moon in the sky together
Hang star lights or battery-operated candles in each window of your home
Bake (or buy) and share a yule log cake
Enjoy produce that stores well – root vegetables and apples
Watch a wintery movie
Bring some evergreen or holly into your home to remind you that the world will be green again
Whether you celebrate the darkest night of the year any of the other many holidays of the season I wish you all the best!
Be Well! Aho!
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