Dear one,
As I write to you from here in the Northern hemisphere, the daylight is shrinking and the nighttime is expanding. The nights are crisp and cool. The stars and moon are bright and clearly visible in the sky. During this season, we’re being drawn back inward for a time of rest, of reflection, and appreciation.
There’s such wisdom in rhythmicity. Syncing up with our own body’s cycles and the cycles of the earth and sky bring that deep peace that we crave. It reminds us that there is a season for everything, a cycle we’re always influenced by, and a predictability that we can trust. This is one way to start reclaiming your feminine power, by reconnecting with, becoming more aware of, and starting to work with cycles already influencing you.
When I tune into nature and her cycles, I easily fall into her rhythms. How about you? Are you going to bed earlier, sleeping longer, or cozying up with a good book and a blanket?
If not, no worries. It’s easy to miss this important time, especially with all of our handheld technology, electricity, and the busyness that occurs this time of year.
But this time of rest and reflection is really important and I don’t want you to miss it.
And neither does mother nature.
After traveling southward, the sun illustrates and punctuates this period of rest for us by pausing on December 21st at the same place in the sky for three days before moving northward. Think of Winter Solstice as her billboard on the sky reminding us it’s time to slow down.
I’m encouraging you to use this opportunity to sync up with mamma nature. Give yourself some extra space and time. Allow yourself to go to bed earlier, to sleep later, to say ‘no’ to anything that feels stressful and to honor and nurture the bear in you that wants to hibernate and reflect a bit.
And to honor you and this reflective period and to prepare yourself for the coming light, I’m inviting you to join me in a very special solstice ceremony hosted by my friend and colleague, and all around stellar human being, Cathy Cochrane. She’s a Soulful Nourishment Specialist at Whole Health Services in Canada and a gifted facilitator of connecting persons to body and soul.
As Cathy says, “Over the last few years, I’ve used a word as my touchstone, my intention and my guide. Better than a resolution, it creates a container that informs me about how best to take action with healthy practices; it creates a filter through which I set my priorities and embody decisions, both personal and professional. Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, is the perfect time to explore your needs and set that intention, so that it can come into the light as we head to the new year.”
Create a Container, A Solstice Ritual
for nourishing your health, work and life for the coming year
“This solstice experience and my word have me operating at a higher level in my life.
To say I’m grateful for you and the experience you gave doesn’t do it justice.”
(me, Christi)
During this 2016 solstice ritual, the word that came to me for 2017 was “Home”. This picture was my geeky attempt to claim and define this as a container for my next year.
My word from last year was “HOME” and wouldn’t you know that this word and that intention is STILL guiding me back home to myself, right up to the last days before I choose a new word. I’m writing about my experiences with it and plan to share that soon.
With so much love and restful anticipation for sitting in an online circle with you on Winter Solstice to receive our words together,
Christi
P.S. Another reminder to sign up here to sign up for Cathy’s solstice ritual.
P.P.S. If you intended to schedule a Clarity + Strategy + Action session with me this year, there are still a few spaces available.
P.P.S. If you’re in Northwest Arkansas, put this on your calendar for January 6th & January 13th: Reclaiming Your Feminine Power 2-Hour Intro and 1-Day Intensive.