The winter solstice is one of my favorite spiritual celebrations at the end of the year. This year it’s even more important that we activate and celebrate the return of the light as we release a challenging 2021 and welcome a new 2022 filled with possibility.
For many years, I have hosted a sacred winter solstice gathering for my family and friends. For me, it’s a quiet time of reflection, release, and intention. You can create your own winter solstice ritual with just yourself or a circle of soul-hearted friends.
Here’s a Powerful Solstice Ritual to Activate and Celebrate the Return of the Light:
Sitting around a fireplace or firepit is a great way to celebrate the solstice. Begin your ceremony when the first star appears in the sky. You can open your ceremony with each person lighting a candle to represent the return of the light. Once everyone has lit their candles, you can lead a “oneness meditation” or a heart opening meditation.
Following the meditation, allow quiet time to reflect on the things you want to let go of and the things you want to bring into 2022. Use this sacred space to bless and release the relationships, events, patterns, and struggles in your life that you have spiritually completed and are ready to release.
Write down three things you wish to let go of and three things you want to bring in for the new year on slips of paper that can be burned. One at a time place your slips of paper with what you wish to let go of into the fire. If you don’t have safe way to burn them, you can symbolically release by shredding or tearing.
Next, express aloud what you want to bring in for the new year. You can finish the ritual with a sound healing. You can create your own or find one that resonates with you on one of the meditation sites such as calm or meditative mind.
Give yourself permission to be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to rest, reset, and just be. Take precious care more than ever before. This will set the tone and prepare you for the powerful energies of 2022.