Today is winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, and the birthday of our solar god, the sun. I love this time of year. Maybe it’s because I’m a december baby, but winter has always felt so healing to me. The Sagittarius season can be intense(!) and by the time solstice rolls around, and moves Capricorn into the spotlight, I am so ready to welcome the darkness that the long nights bring. It’s a time of restoration, deep sleep, dream work, and reflection. The fertile darkness nourishes the seeds that we plant so new things can blossom and bloom come spring. Sure, it’s the darkest day, but it’s also the start of the return to light, and I love that duality - death and rebirth. I will never not be obsessed with these cycles and rhythms we get to live by. Noting them and partaking in some form of ritual is like an invitation for magic to enter your life, and who wouldn’t want that?
I just returned from a season spent in Europe and the timing could not be better. Yes, it’s grey, damp, and dark here, but I think that’s just what the doctor ordered after what I’ve put my body through these past few months. It’s a sigh of relief to come home, exhausted, to a season of quiet, rest-focused darkness. We left Europe in Portugal, which was wonderful but not exactly putting me into the Christmas spirit (unlike our time in Austria, which was filled with christkindlmarkets and gluhwein). Louis and I would spend the days exploring and come back to our airbnb for the night, immediately putting on festive movies to get us amped up for the holidays lol. A favourite of ours that we try to watch each year is Fanny and Alexander - an epic Ingmar Bergman period piece that is a marvel for the senses.
Winter solstice also marks the start of yule, which spans from today until the first day of the new year. It’s a special ten days, isn’t it? A real magic dark. In TCM, winter is deemed the strongest yin time of the year. The focus is on the kidneys and bladder, organs that make me think of water and storage. The taste associated with winter is salty (although I tend to indulge my sweet tooth, hehe). What is salty, wet, dark, and cold? The ocean! So winter is the perfect time to start incorporating seaweed or fatty fish into your diet. I like to make bone broth and add in lots of seaweed to get all those minerals and yin energy in me. In one of my favourite resources, Staying Healthy With the Seasons, by Elson M. Haas, the keys to being in-balance in winter are listed as:
keeping warm
staying quiet
sleeping well
being at home
looking within
preserving & giving
The key words for imbalance are:
overactive
late nights
lack of rest
dissipation
frustration
hoarding
Another thing I like to do especially at this time of year is make immune boosting ginger shots. After a long day of flying home and listening to the coughs and sniffles of my fellow passengers, I was quick to hit the store and buy some ginger and lemons. It’s so easy to whip up this warming, magic juice. All you need is ginger, lemons, and water. Sometimes I’ll add extras like honey, salt, garlic, turmeric, mushroom tinctures, you name it. Throw everything in a blender and then run the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth, making sure to squeeze every last drop out of the ginger pulp. I like to sip it straight or add a healthy dose to some hot water for a nice tea.
In this time I think of the Crone and the Winter Witch. I love the Italian folklore of la Befana, an old witch who brings gifts to the children of Italy. Legend tells that the Belfana would come down the chimney, deliver gifts, and then sweep the floor of the house before leaving; symbolizing the removal of problems from the past year.
I also think about Hestia, the Greek Goddess of the hearth, tender of the fire. Fire is incredibly sacred and so deeply ingrained in the core of our human-ness. Sadly, I don’t have a fireplace or wood stove or even a fire pit, but it’s high on my manifestation list for future homes. So for now I stick to candles which get the job done. Sitting by a fire in the winter and gazing at the flame is a really healing experience, as it helps with melatonin production and is super beneficial to our circadian health. If you’re like me and must rely on candles, light some after dark and maybe try a flame gazing meditation. It’s such a soothing winter ritual.
TCM considers the sense associated with winter to be hearing. I like that, because to really listen you need to get quiet, which is the vibe for this time of year. These are some sounds I enjoy at this time. This song by Canadian Celtic badass, Loreena McKennitt. My mom has been listening to her winter album for as long as I can remember and I love how witchy it is. Speaking of my mom, last year I bought her John Fahey’s chsitmas album, which is filled with cool guitar renditions of the classics, like this one. Lastly, something I love to listen to and watch is The Snowman. I didn’t grow up with this but I sure wish I did. I’m trying to make up for lost time by making a tradition of watching it every year. I’m three years in now and am not looking back! The music is so haunting and beautiful.
This solstice I invite you to reflect on the good of the past year. What are you grateful for? Make a list, meditate on it, or share in conversation with friends. I, for one, have immense gratitude for the outlet that is this newsletter, and for the community I have found within it. Thank you for being here and sharing this experience with me! I have many ideas for the new year and can’t wait to get back on the writing horse. I will leave you with a picture of the cookies I just made (soft amaretti) and a link to view the livestream solstice sunrise at Stonehenge.
Good tidings to you, whatever you celebrate, and have a glorious start to your winter. May all beings everywhere be happy and free <3
With love,
Anika
please save me an amaretti ❤️ welcome home!!