Winter Solstice: A Paean To The Pregnant Darkness

Solstice = Standing-Still-Sun

Dec. 21st, we enter the belly of the night.

Winter Solstice: We come to the portal that separates darkness from light. Standing in this arch of time where Earth takes a breath before facing us back towards the sun, we too, take a breath, turn inward, pause in this pregnant moment and let darkness reveal its gifts:

Winter Solstice: A time to look back at the year gone by, gather its lessons and put them in the stew of your life. Time to let the heat of your presence cook the stew. Render the lessons into the sweet nectar of wisdom. Then drink of it. One-small-sip-at-a-time.

Winter Solstice: A time to let the longest night of the year seduce you into stillness. Time to silence inner voices, listen to the beating of your own heart. Time to breathe slowly, become the breath. Linger here. The night is long.

Winter Solstice: Time to savor the sweetness of the dark. Nothing to fear. It's only you. And millions of years of Earth's turning; away and then back, away and then back towards the light. It's all you. The dark, the light, the fire, the night: it's all you. You're all it. Sweet oneness, savored in the dark.

Winter Solstice: A sacred link, where Earth's veil thins, the unseen, seen. Images of ancestors and ancient roots threading back beyond time. Back to first humans, their fires still burning to call back the light. We are the ones who hold them sacred. We honor their struggles, their triumphs. We're here due to them. They gave us our blood.

Winter Solstice: A time to reflect on your life in this moment. Like never before, or ever again, reflect on this sweet, fragile moment.

Winter Solstice: A time to let go of what burdens. Empty out stones sitting heavy in the heart. Let bygones be bygones. Acknowledge. Forgive. Begin again.

Winter Solstice: A fertile time, a time to ready the womb; a time for pregnant possibility. A time to sow seeds of imagination, to germinate in the darkness. A time to tend the inner hearth; be warmed by the coals of creativity.

Winter Solstice: The union of opposites. Fullness: emptying. Emptiness: filling.
The shortest day meets the longest night. Celebrate the dark. Greet the light. We've journeyed long; we've journeyed far. In summer, we rejoiced in the sun, now absent. In winter, we settle into the night, now present. We draw inward, tuck in our wings to keep warm. All flights are canceled.

Winter Solstice: A time to check inner weather and road conditions. Are you cold? Are you hot? Are you merely lukewarm? Is it stormy? Is it balmy? Are there blue skies inside? Does the road rise to meet you? Are you on shaky ground? Is it smooth? Is it rocky? Can you see where you are?

Winter Solstice: Can you be with it all, just as it is? No fighting, no trying, no pushing the river. It flows by itself, so you watch it. You notice. You see twigs and branches submerged in the stream of your life. Without effort, the water flows over, under and around it all. Nothing can stop it; it goes on forever. Like you do. Like I do. Like we do.

May you go on forever, like this most pregnant night of the year.

A brief ritual to include in your observance of Winter Solstice:

1) Set aside at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, but whatever works for you is fine.
2) Include friends, family members, or celebrate alone if you prefer. It all works.
3) Settle in, light some candles. Build a fire, if you have a fireplace.
4) Spend time with your eyes closed, breathing slowly, watching the breath.
5) Let your awareness settle down in your belly. Sense it, feel it fill and empty. See your
life coming and going on each inhale and exhale. Feel the strength and fragility of each
breath.
6) You might want to include this magnificent video with images from the Hubble space
telescope. It will connect you with the grandeur of the universe in which we live.
Towards the end of the video, notice the tree-like images from deep in space. As
astrology tell us, "As above, so below." Here's proof.
7) Reflect on your connection with the universe and your place in it. Who are you in the
grandest scheme of things?
8 ) Remain in silence for a few minutes after you've finished. Savor the moment.

The Blessing of the newborn Sun God:


"Out of Darkness Light is Re-born. Carry the hope of this moment like a torch in your heart through the coming year. Let it sustain you in your times of darkness, 
and be a symbol of blessing in your times of joy. Let Peace be with you.

***

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Comments

[LeaMarie]

Thank you. I sometimes need a reminder to stop and listen to the Mother, and this is a wonderful start. May you have a blessed Solstice!

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you, Miss Girl Who Cried Epiphany (how I LOVE this handle!),

Is there a story that goes with it?

Please come back to visit often as you will find my writing to be grounded in a devotion to the Great Mother, the Divine Feminine, spirituality and the great mysteries. I love that you found comfort here.

May you find Peace in the darkness,
Judith

[GirlWhoCriedEpiphany]

Dear Judith,
A good friend and I are a lucky pair who seem to cook up new kinds of consciousness whenever we are together. One day, as I was frantically and joyfully relating a new bit of wisdom that had revealed itself to me I exclaimed, "Oh listen to me, I'm the girl who cried epiphany!" Once again, I was sure I had struck upon the idea that would change everything.
I have since started a blog with the same name (an easy Google search) and I tend to talk about subjects that go quite perfectly with the wonderful ideas you have shared here.
So glad to have found your work.
Thanks & blessings,
Marisa
The Girl Who Cried Epiphany

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Marisa (I'm glad to know your "other" name),

I visited your blog and it's wonderful! Let me give you a plug here:
www.epiphanygirl.com.

Such rich, juicy writing! You have a wonderful gift and I for one, am happy that we found each other through this medium. I'll be checking into your blog regularly. Hope to see you here again in the future.

Blessings
Judith

[athenasword]

Judith, your love of the Great Mother was evident in your words. I will most certainly be looking for more of your articles. Bright blessings!

Deborah

[indy100]

Beautifully written and inspirational; and just what I needed right this moment. This is worth sharing and saving!

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Indy100,

Please do and thank you for your comment. It's always nice to know that "somebody out there" appreciates the work.

Come back again. I promise more to come from this place...........

Peace in the darkness at Solstice and always,
Judith

[GirlWhoCriedEpiphany]

Dear Judith,
Usually I figure I am leaving my spiritual self behind when I come to HuffPo to get my fix of politicians behaving badly and the saga of flying shoes. Your post is such a welcome respite from all of that.

How much more gracefully we could all bear the burdens of winter and our own dark times if we could offer some space in our busy lives for the stillness of the longest night of the year.

I love how you describe this as a fertile time. We so rarely look at this time of year in that way because we are either thinking in terms of Christianity and the approaching birth, or we are looking at it through Pagan eyes that waits to plant seeds when spring rains begin to fall. But you help us reclaim this dark womb of winter, to build our nests and foster our own warmth.

Thank you for this.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Judith, What an exquisite post. You touch into the beauty of the stillness that is so available at this time of the year, yet easy to rush past. I feel very warm and enriched having read, and watched the video.

Thank you for your care in bringing it all together.

With love,
Anne

[athenasword]

Thank you, Judith. What a beautiful reminder of the quiet pulling-inward that the Solstice brings. I love the longest night and the feeling of rebirth, creativity and renewal that follows.

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, athenasword (how I love THAT name!)

Athena is one of my favorite goddesses. May you carry her spirit always. And yet, even Athena needs to rest. So rest, dear one and know that all is well.

Peace,
Judith

[KarBear]

Beautiful, Judith.
wonderful flowing poetry to take us out of the insanity of the season and into the quiet space the solistic has to offer.
I love the video clips with each blog as well- nicely done!
Thank you for enriching this magazine with your unique style.

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

KarBear,

Dearest sister, I remember celebrating Winter Solstice with YOU! Those December nights at the Star House in Boulder. Unforgettable!

Thank you for making those memories then and now.

Much love to you always,
Judith

[johngaltgestalt]

Thank you! As a denizen of the frozen north, I needed to read this. I like winter, but this week has been rough, having a large dog who is built for this weather makes it rougher on a weak human with no body hair!
Inspirational video too. Nice job.

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Johngaltgestalt (interesting handle)

I was born and grew up in the frozen denizens of the north, (Michigan and Ohio). Then lived in Colorado for 10 years. I have such powerful memories of those long, dark, cold nights and celebrating Winter Solstice in Boulder at a magical place called The Star House.

Know that you carry your fire inside and must always tend that inner hearth.

Best to you,
Judith

[Arithrianos]

Who am i? "Am" depends on boundries, and i am unbounded so i can only say i AM that i AM, in other words, you only get the whole thing, there are no parts.