At Winter Solstice
AT THE END OF THE YEAR
by John O’Donohue
As this year draws to its end,
We give thanks for the gifts it brought
And how they became inlaid within
Where neither time nor tide can touch them...
Days when beloved faces shone brighter
With light from beyond themselves;
And from the granite of some secret sorrow
A stream of buried tears loosened.
We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.
Excerpt from the blessing, 'At the End of the Year,'
from the book 'Benedictus'
How do you feel at this time of year?
At the winter solstice we feel a long way from summer. It can feel harder to find energy and feel the lift we get in the brighter seasons, its harder to get out of bed in the mornings.
Yes, for many of us the twinkle of festive lights, the sparkle of stars on a clear night, the red chest of a robin, the glow of a hearth or the flame of a candle bring warmth and light to these darker days. But if this time of year is harder for you to find the light, that's ok.
During winter we let go of light just as trees let go of leaves, we look towards cosy and warmth and probably more time indoors, and we should rest more as our ancestors once did when they followed the seasons and the longer nights more closely than we do today. Winter is nature's sign to slow down, let go of brighter months and spend more time resting and reflecting. The cycles of the seasons can support us so much if we listen, feel and follow them rather than fight against them.
Now is a great time to reflect on your year so far
- your joys and your sorrows. What can you take forward and what can you let go of? What have you learned? Nature knows that everything is cyclical - growth, blossom, release, rebirth, nothing lasts forever, change us constant, can we take natures lead?
Spend some time resting during this holiday season.
Grab a blanket and get cosy indoors by yourself, and with friends and family. Let go of all the doing - even if its just for a few minutes. Enjoy being quieter, more rested. Re-charge, re-balance and re-set. Embrace this lovely season of darkness.
Yoga Nidra Relaxation
If you would like to enjoy some guided relaxation you can head to either my mini yoga nidra library https://www.breathingspace-yoga.com/yoganidraminilibrary or purchase a lifetime pass to my full library of yoga nidras here https://breathingspaceyoga.punchpass.com/passes/170834
'The world rests in the night. Trees, mountains, fields, and faces are released from the prison of shape and the burden of exposure. Each thing creeps back into its own nature within the shelter of the dark. Darkness is the ancient womb. Nighttime is womb-time. Our souls come out to play. The darkness absolves everything; the struggle for identity and impression falls away. We rest in the night.'
John O’Donohue from his book Anam Cara