It’s December 21st. Happy Solstice everyone!
Winter solstice – the longest night of the year, marking the beginning of the planet’s slow tilt and turn toward spring’s days of increased light.
The changing of the seasons has been revered throughout the ages in ancient civilizations, indigenous cultures and various religions. Celebrations included feasting, gathering with loved ones and gift giving and were the origins of our modern traditions at this time of the year.
This year a rare occurrence is visible in the night sky. Spanning several days around the 21st, Saturn and Jupiter will align and create the brightest light visible, with the exception of the moon. Details are available on any number of internet sites but it is generally acknowledged that the last visible ‘great conjunction’ of the two planets took place 800 years ago. This conjunction is known as The Christmas Star or The Star of Bethlehem.
I like the dichotomy of the brightest light appearing during the longest night of the year.
Especially as 2020 has given us so many contradictions:
- People are united against the threatening pandemic but required to separate from each other.
- Options in our daily lives may have narrowed but our potential for learning and coping has expanded.
- We are stymied but also adaptable.
Many folks attach spiritual meanings to the solstice, including it being a time for reflection and re-creating ourselves.
Part of reflecting or re-setting is getting rid of anything that’s no longer needed, literally and metaphorically. We can create space to appreciate what we’ve accomplished and how we’ve coped over the past year. We can also bring forward ideas that may have been simmering in the background. Reflection can result in shifts of our values, reminding us of what’s important.
Winter is nature’s season of rest and I have been leaning into that notion; slowing down and enjoying stillness and quiet. This can take practice and requires one to be okay with leaving some things undone. Given how hectic this time of the year can be typically, for most of us, rest can be seen as a radical act.
By mirroring nature and embracing a slower pace lately, more time is available for reading, writing and stoking the home fires. It’s a little silver lining within a challenging year.
The great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occurring on the winter solstice feels like hope and a promise that all will be right with the world.
Something in us needs to believe that at the end of the longest night, there will be light.
