Thursday, December 12, 2013

Winter Solstice - Going Inside

The shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, is about to arrive in the northern hemisphere. I’d like to explore aligning with the powerful cycle of the seasons. 

Each season expresses a unique energy pattern. When we align with these patterns we are able to use them to benefit our growth. Men are particularly sensitive to seasonal fluctuations.

Winter is about the dark, the quiet, the ancestral. As it approaches we feel ourselves slowing down. As light levels decrease we want to rest. We need to sleep more. We tend to spend more time indoors.

We should also be spending more time inside ourselves. Deep personal practice is important now. It will sustain us by keeping us positive as energy levels decrease. Winter shows us what is buried deep inside ourselves so that we can bring it to the surface. 

Our traditional holiday time is often filled with celebration.  During this dark, cold, period it is also important to be quiet. Introspection is key to really harnessing the power of winter energy. 

All of this deep work can feel like heavy lifting. It is important to remember how our ancestors celebrated this solstice. They looked to the return of the light that starts immediately after the shortest day. Working to bring light into the darkness is a powerful path of transformation.

One of the best energies to work with at this time of year is Yemonja/Olokun. In Ifa, we always work with these twin Orisa of the ocean together. Olokun is the deep, dark, world at the bottom of the ocean. He represents hidden things that we can discover buried deep in our unconscious. 

Yemonja is the surface of the ocean, and the light that plays there. We can use this aspect of ocean energy to bring light, and understanding, to the difficult emotions that we have discovered. Using these energies together we can bring feelings to the surface so that we can see, and release, them. 

Use this time of year for connection with the deep emotional healing that is possible with the Yemonja/Olokun matrix.


Do you feel the pulled inside as winter approaches? I’d love to hear why, or why not.