A Spell for the Solstice

Image description: Isabel in yellow hat, big denim jacket and mittens in a space with chairs and yellow and blue lights. They sit in front of a bright fire pit with several drinks in flight glasses on a tray. They wear a silver rabbit pin. They are smiling and the firelight is yellow and glowy.

Moon Moment

Moon: Waning gibbous

Next full or new moon: New moon Dec. 30 5:27pm EST

Astrological season: Very late Sagittarius season

Seasonal moment: We’re in the last moments of true, deep dark before the light starts to return. What wisdom and feeling is only possible here?

Friends, I’m sending this out a day early so that you’ll have more time between now and Saturday to think about if / when / how you want to do this Solstice ritual for yourself!

Ok, it’s corny hour and I’m not sorry: when I think of the winter solstice I feel a deep sense of love and satisfaction in my heart. I gotta be real, too - this is not a feeling I get from Christmas. While I love to be with my family and my partner’s family, my favorite moments with them are in the in-between times, normal visits when we focus on each other and share lots of mundane joy and connection. The hubbub of Christmas and making sure to do all the things we’ve always done stresses me out, and makes it harder for me to connect with others.

The winter solstice, also known as Yule, is the pagan holiday Christmas was based on in order to convert more pagans to Christianity. It’s where the inside-tree comes from, and it’s at this time of year because of astrology and the seasons: the solstice is the day when there is the least amount of light in the northern hemisphere. It’s also the day when we welcome the light back in.