Embrace the dark: a solstice invitation

You may not know this about me, but I used to be a witch.

When I lived in New York City, I was part of a coven. Every Monday night, a group of eight of us would meet in the upstairs room of a Soho studio space. There, we would chant, sing, and laugh our way back to wholeness as we connected back to the deeper rhythms of nature.

As witches, we honoured the natural cycles of the seasons and the world. We watched the phases of the moon, felt the call of the seasons, and oriented our own yearnings and struggles within the larger framework of universal movement.

Inspired by my witchy roots, I wanted to share with you that we are entering a very potent and transformational time of the year.

The Winter Solstice, fast approaching on December 21, is the longest night of the year. This is a magical time: full of darkness, inward movement, and mystery.  This dark time is the perfect for opportunity to bank our own fires, move into quiet contemplation and to let go of old habits, patterns, and behaviours that have been holding us back.

After December 22, we will start moving back into the light. That will be the time to look towards creation and building. However, before we start to build, we must first clear our spiritual space. Like a keen-eyed grandmother, the winter solstice looks us in lovingly in the face and asks us:

What will you now let go of now, to create space for your transformation?

It’s time for you to cull, to divide, to clear. The dark says go inside to your deepest self, ask the hard questions, listen closely to your quiet, wise whispers. The dark asks you to sit in uncertainty, to be brave without the usual landmarks, to step into the deep forest and wait with the night animals to see what happens next.

What will you now let go of now, to create space for your transformation?

Perhaps the answer is pragmatic for you, and it may be time to clean out the closet, the desk to make way for new projects and self-expression. Or perhaps the release is more subtle; it may be time for you to change a negative pattern of behaviour like self-doubt, shame or guilt. Or perhaps something larger is moving, and it’s time to leave your job or relationship.

Answering the call of the dark requires great courage. Standing in the dark requires faith and courage that the light will come. In the next few days, take some quiet time in the dark to invite the earth’s rhythm to move you. Call upon her to help you do what you need to do.

And unfetter yourself for the next wild adventure.