Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere arrives on Tuesday 21 June at 7.13pm (AEST). The south pole is at its maximum tilt away from the sun, making it the shortest day and longest night of the year.

In terms of daylight, this day is 3 hours, 39 minutes shorter than the December solstice.

The Winter Solstice is marked by festivals and rituals in many cultures, celebrating the death and rebirth of the Sun. We will now celebrate longer days as we move towards Spring, although we have some time to ride out the winter months.

We can use these few months to reflect, rejuvenate and replenish, in preparation for the fertile season of spring into summer.

In this time, many cultures would slaughter their stock, before they starve, and would make plenty of beer. This was the one time of the year they were plentiful in red meat.

They would bring gifts in honour of the Sun God/Goddess and look forward to the warmer months that were coming.

The Sun represents our personality, the “I am”, our ego, or our solar plexus chakra (Manipura). How can we celebrate the death and rebirth of our ego?

You could use the winter solstice as a ritual to shed (or starve) your ego of any indulgences, or comforts. What are you telling yourself you need or want. What part of your life do you strongly identify with? Where are you so comfortable that it makes you irritable if it would be taken away. This is the time to bring awareness to your attachments.

When you think about it, you want to feel lighter as you emerge into Spring. Mental and emotional lightness is the key, so that when Spring arrives you have the energy to birth your ideas, projects (or babies) into the world.

Use these winter months to shed, detach from the comforts and focus on living simply, buying vegetables that are in season; making soups and uncomplicated casseroles, that are nourishing, yet simple.

When you begin to change your behaviours and let go of what you think you need in order to be ‘successful’, ‘loved’, ‘accepted’, it will be easier to adapt to natures extremes. It also stretches your capacity to see things with a wider lens or alternative perspective.

Happy Winter Solstice, my little witches x