Winter Solstice - June 21st 2017

“In the depths of winter i finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer” Albert Camus

Winter Solstice tea

• Ginger
  
• Turmeric
  
• Orange
  
• Honey

Winter Solstice ritual checklist

•  One fresh white candle
• A clear quartz crystal
• A pen and three sheets of paper
• Fresh rosemary
• Incense: frankincense, pine, cedar, sage or rosemary
• Winter Solstice tea

The Winter Solstice also known as "Yule" is the annual astronomical event that marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night.

Since ancient times people across the world have celebrated Winter Solstice when the Sun starts to climb higher in the sky.
This was seen as a potent and deeply sacred symbol of the cycles of life, death and rebirth. Winter Solstice served as a herald of the changing seasons, a signal for the preparation of the next agricultural phase and as an important time to worship the Gods, the Goddesses and nature.
Symbolically it is when the Goddess the divine feminine principle, awakens from her long sleep over winter and gives birth to the Solar God the divine masculine principle, and with his birth starts the new annual cycle towards Spring.   ​

For us today, personally connecting and celebrating Winter Solstice is a wonderful way to reconnect with our true self at a deeper level. We can see this time as a beautiful gift to ourselves. It is a sacred moment to nourish our souls, give thanks to the bounty of the universe and to creatively plant seeds for our next harvest.   

Being the darkest and longest night of the year, the silence and peace that Winter holds is the perfect time for reflection and mediation. This is a moment of searching deep within, of delving into the shadow aspects of our Dark Goddess nature. In this aspect the Goddess is linked to contemplation, death, release. Yet still in the darkness she is nourishing like the earths soil. She encourages us to wave goodbye to the old. What is no longer authentic to ourselves and our path is released.

As the Goddess once again transforms into her aspect of Great Earth Mother, the light is welcomed in and we seamlessly shift our focus to consciously communing with the universe, giving thanks for all that we have been blessed with and achieved in the last cycle. Much like in the Mother's womb it is in this darkness, that we can now incubate and birth our wishes for the year ahead.

This period is classed as the seed time of year until gradually as the days become long and lighter we are greeted by the full blossoming at the Summer Solstice also known as Litha.

Winter Solstice Ritual

Ideally the prime time for meditation and ritual is to wake an hour before Sunrise and meditate until we are greeted by the light of dawn. However, meditation can take place anytime over June 21st going into June 22nd, as this whole time is classed as a potent period for ritual.  

(Although this ritual is not based around divination, if you happen to practice any form of divination you can include that in the ritual as well to gain some insight)

Prepare your Winter Solstice tea mindfully with love. Focus on your breath throughout the process of making and pouring the tea.

Find a quiet space either outside or inside is fine, ideally sitting on the floor.

(If waking up to greet the dawn ideally pick somewhere you can watch the sunrise. In Melbourne sunrise is currently at 7:30am)

Light your incense and ritually smudge the space clean. Allow the incense to keep burning in a safe spot nearby.

Place your candle, quartz crystal and fresh rosemary next to one another. In front of you have your paper and pen.

Sit down clear your mind, take a few deep breathes and light the candle. Take one sprig of the rosemary and rub it between your hands, raise your hands to your face & breathe in the fresh smell of rosemary. Take a sip of your tea.

Focus your gaze on the flame, thinking of all that you want to release, write this on the first sheet of paper. When completed fold in three times and place to the "right side" of you. Take a few moments to focus of the release of these old aspects.

Rub the rosemary again between your hands, and smell them again. Take another sip of your tea.
Go back to focusing your gaze of the flame.

Next right down on the second piece of paper what you are thankful for this year, again fold with three times, but this time place it in "front of you". Take a few moments to focus on thanking the universe for these gifts.

Rub the rosemary again between your hands, and smell them again. Take another sip of your tea.
Again go back to focusing your gaze of the flame.

Next right down on the third piece of paper what your wishes and goals are for this year, Write them as though you have already achieved them. Again fold the paper three times, but this time place it in on your "left side". Take a few moments to focus on manifesting your dreams.

Rub the rosemary again between your hands, and smell them again. Take another sip of your tea.

For the rest of the time until sunrise, focus on your breath, the beauty of life and visualise your wishes as being real already.
 At sunrise place both your palms on the ground, look up and smile at the Sun, bask in the  nourishing life giving rays. Give thanks and blessings to the universe.

Whenever you instinctively feel as though you have completed the ritual, wet your fingers and snuff out the candle, don’t blow it out.

Take your quartz crystal and rosemary and bury them both together in the earth. You are  planting your seed and releasing the crystal and the rosemary back home as their job is now done. Pour the remainder of the tea over the burial spot as an offering to the universe.

With the 3 pieces of paper, place them in a safe spot, do not look at them again! In 12 days burn all three pieces of paper using the same candle. Look to the sky and smile, mouth the word "thank you" and feel confident that the universe has heard your wishes.

Winter Solstice 25% Discount!

​To celebrate Winter Solstice, for the next 12 days until the 2nd July I am offering a 25% discount on one hour Tarot/Astrology readings during this period. To book in you can call me on 0450 212 252. To claim your discount please reference "Solstice magick".

Wishing you all much Winter Solstice love & blessings.

Live by the Sun, love by the Moon​

Natta )O(