YULE - THE WINTER SOLSTICE

Today in the Northern Hemisphere we celebrate Yule - the Winter Solstice. It can fall anywhere between the 20th and 23rd of December each year.

This is the longest night of the year - we are in the depths of the darkness. From now on, the Sun will start to return

At Samhain we honoured our descent into the Darkness, we began a time of introspection and reflection. Now we are in the midst of that hibernation - what have we learnt?

This is a time for looking deeply inwards, reflecting on the lessons of these dark months, and allowing ourselves to rest, before we begin to emerge into the Light once more.

This is a deeply nurturing time if we let it be. Allow yourself to rest and you will find renewal. Accept the darkness and in it you will find magic. Look within - what buried secrets do you have that you need to release? What nuggets of sacred knowledge do you have hidden within you waiting to be explored? These are the seeds that you will plant in the Springtime.

This is a particularly good time for creative journaling - allow yourself to flow with the magic of this introspective time, and in it you will find inspiration.

The Winter Solstice is also the birthday of the Sun - a time to celebrate

For some of us, during the dark months it can sometimes feel like we have lost our way, lost our Light, lost the vibrancy of life. But here we are at Yule - the promise of the return of the Light. From now on the sun is waxing again, and the days will start to get longer. So, whilst this is a time for reflection in the depths of the darker months - it is also a time to celebrate!

As you probably know, most of the Christmas traditions we know today pre-date Christianity, and have in fact been being celebrated at Yule for thousands of years. It has always been traditional to give gifts, connect with loved ones, and decorate our homes with candles and evergreen shrubs at Yule, celebrating the immortality of nature and the ever constant turning of the Wheel of the Year.

Solstice blessings to you all,

Amy xx