Winter solstice 2023: how it influences you and the rituals with which you can celebrate it

At the solstice the seasons change: in one half of the planet winter begins; in the other, summer. But it is also a magical moment, both from the point of view of astronomy and from the point of view of spirituality and personal growth.

What happens on the winter solstice?

The solstice is the moment in which the Sun is at the maximum angular distance from Earth’s equator, which causes the sun’s rays to fall more indirectly on the equator and more directly on one of the terrestrial hemispheres. This occurs due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis in its orbit around the Sun, a tilt without which the seasons of the year would not exist.

Two solstices occur each year, one in December and one in June. At the December solstice the Sun hits most directly in the southern hemisphere, over the Tropic of CancerHence, in the northern hemisphere it is known as the winter solstice and it is colder, and that in the southern hemisphere the same solstice is called the summer solstice.

The longest night of the year and the beginning of winter

The winter solstice is a major turning point: because the inclination of the Earth’s axis is the greatest that can occur with respect to the Sun, it is one of the two moments of the year (the other is the summer solstice) in which there is more difference between night and dayso that in one hemisphere we live the longest night of the year and the shortest day of the year, and in the other hemisphere the reverse, the shortest night of the year and the longest day of the year.

winter solstice rituals

He perihelionthe moment when the Sun is closest to Earth, comes shortly after the winter solstice and is an astronomical phenomenon that has a very direct impact on the cycles of nature.

If we look at plants, it seems that some died when they lost all their leaves and seemed almost lifeless and others became paralyzed. We can also observe this influence in the animals, who retire to rest to spend the winter or slow down that “crazy” activity that they display in first and summer.

As beings that inhabit this planet, it is logical that we are also influenced by this energy. Although it may seem that we live outside the natural cycles and these may seem invisible to us, too influence our physical and emotional body.

Throughout history, our predecessors who seemed more connected to nature and the cycles of life, perhaps because they had less entertainment, have honored this time of year with multitude of celebrations and rituals. Depending on the place on the planet and, above all, the hemisphere, these celebrations were different.

There are many cultures that celebrate this day. welcoming winter. Literally and symbolically, the winter solstice is the moment from which light wins over darknessbecause the nights are getting shorter. Although interest in astrology and rituals has increased in recent years, it is not something new, but an ancient tradition that deserves some of our attention.

While many people celebrate festivities on these dates that sometimes they don’t even know where they come from, there are also others who like them more celebrate these magical moments of connection with life and its cycles with spiritual rituals based on its symbolism.

Symbolism and spiritual meaning

From the point of view of astrology, the winter solstice coincides with the entry of the Sun in the sign of Capricorna sign whose ruler is Saturn, that is, it is a sign closely linked to the energy of the planet Saturn.

Its about time to plant the new seeds that will bear fruit at the end of springwith its maximum splendor on the summer solstice.

This moment reminds us that we close a complete cycle, annual and seasonal, to give way to a new life or new intentions after the process of rotting and disintegration that has occurred during the autumn.

This may sound very gardening to you, but if you pay attention you will see that these same cycles occur in humans: Autumn makes us lose our hair, we feel a little more listless and we kind of start to slow down. The body asks us for other types of food (if we stop to listen to it) and our leisure activities change the scenery.

For all this, the winter solstice invites us to the deepest introspectionto drop everything that we have been dragging along throughout the cycle and that you are already clear that it makes no sense to continue holding.

Take advantage of process closure energy to throw away everything you don’t need and project or plant the seed of what makes you vibrate and smile when you think about it. Remember that we are a process, that we are continually evolving and changing. Take advantage of the energy that the Sun gives us to be who you really are, or at least to open a new door that helps you discover it.

How to make your own winter solstice ritual

There are as many rituals as there are humans who are or are no longer there. Therefore, whatever you do, I am convinced that it is what best suits you and it is fine.

In almost all ritualsas in the example we have seen of the Yule celebration, fire and wooden logs are present. Trees are sacred in many traditions and are a way of communicating with nature.

Note that our goal will be to plant a new seed and care for it over the next few months to burn again on the summer solstice and that the intention is strengthened. Any ritual that you do with this intention and to release everything that has nothing to do with you, will be fantastic.

My ritual proposal, with which I celebrate the end of the year and the winter solstice, is an adaptation of one of my teachers (Álvaro Remino, spagyrist, astrologer and therapist). It’s about a ritual to contemplate our “dark” side and be able to integrate itjust as we do with our bright side, to live fully from the lights and shadows.

I use:

A piece of paper and a wooden pencil. A candle made of natural wax and organic cotton. For me it is important that the candles are not toxic. A glass with filtered water. A candle that I put in a blue or green glass, since I do not use colored candles. A burner with copal or church incense. Hyssop essential oil, although you can use some rosemary branches or oak leaves or pine branches.

To do the ritual, place all the items (except paper and pencil) in a pretty way in front of you. If you have a chance to do it near a fireseize it.

Sit down on the floor or in an upright chair.turn on the normal candle, then the blue one, light the copal and put the diffuser, if you have put an essential oil.Take three deep breaths or the ones you need to calm your mind and connect with the moment. And let your intuition bring to mind those things of the year that you would like to leave at this moment. When we are clear, write it on the paper and burn it with the blue candle thanking for whatever it has taught you. Don’t get tangled up, do it without thinking. Then stare at the yellow candle, as is done in trataka meditation, and allow the new seed of what you want for the next period to settle in you naturally. Stay in that meditation for as long as you consider appropriate.

Me I like to end up drinking the water in front of me so that your energy allows the information to settle more easily wherever it has to.

Don’t focus so much on the things you need and pay attention to the intention What do you have to do?

If there is something you don’t have at home, don’t worry.: It is not essential. I tell you from my own experience: the important thing is what you really want to do and how you do it, not what you do it with.

Other rituals and spiritual practices for the solstice

Another suggestion, if you practice yoga, is to do a trataka meditation (stare at the candle) or a yoga nidra session.

If you prefer, you can also take advantage of the night of the 21st to leave any type of external communication and withdraw within yourselfprovide you with silence to connect, for as long as you want.

Another wonderful option is go for a walkwithout listening to music, without taking the mobile and Trying to contemplate what I want to let go and what I want to come. If it can be through a forest, great, and if it has to be through a city full of noise and people, also wonderful.

You don’t need a place or objects to be able to fully connect with yourself. Just take a moment and gratefully celebrate the arrival of the new season and the beginning of this period full of possibilities.

And remember: you can do this whenever you need. As we are a process, we are continually ending and beginning. Enjoy it and may everything that makes you feel better fill this new year allowing you to inhabit yourself fully.