Rituals for Winter Solstice: Learn How to Improve Your Life

The Solstices are very special days because they mark important physical, energetic, and mystical changes on the planet. Winter Solstice celebrates the rebirth of the Sun and serves to put us in reflection. Rituals for the winter solstice give extra strength to all the processes we are invited to dive into through the cold days.

The Winter Solstice occurs when the sun is at its lowest position in the sky and corresponds to the longest night of the year. It happens on the 21st of December in the North Hemisphere, and on the 21st of June in the South Hemisphere. After this day, slowly the days start getting longer until the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice.

The winter represents the inner journey, the step of death in the cycle of life. It’s the preparation for a rebirth and a new opportunity that will arrive with the Spring.

Find out 3 delightful rituals for Winter Solstice that will align you with the energy of nature!

Why rituals for Winter Solstice?

The solstices come from the Earth’s rotational and translational movements. In the case of the Winter Solstice, it is when the line of Ecuador is far away, at its maximum distance from the Sun. While the Summer Solstice marks the longest day and with more incidence of sunlight in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice marks the shortest and darkest day of the year.

As winter advances in the upper half of the planet, the days become shorter and the nights long and cold. The tradition began when the ancient pagans refused to believe that the Sun would not return the following morning after the longest night of the year. To keep their thoughts and intentions strong, they gathered to celebrate light and sleeping nature.

The winter solstice, though quite traditional among the ancient pagan communities, is also widely celebrated in Christianity. Because, in the Northern Hemisphere, it happens in December, a few days before Christmas, the concept of “return of light” becomes even stronger with the birth of Christ. Read about the rituals for Winter Solstice and choose your favorite.

7 fire rituals for winter solstice

We chose 7 peaceful and charming rituals for Winter Solstice aligned to the energy that this time of the year boosts in each of one of us. The Winter represents the step of Death in the Life/Death/Life cycle of life that we can contemplate in nature. This cycle reflects on us and gives us the opportunity to live a more balanced life.

The Winter Solstice is a great time to celebrate the inward phase everyone is being asked to experience. This process is not always easy with the crazy life the outside world keeps pushing you to.

Despite that, if you listen to your body and your soul, you’ll realize the tendency to become quiet, to stay in more often, eat warmer foods, and sleep longer hours. It’s a period for you to nurture your spirit and soul, by connecting to nature, and your loved ones. Celebrating it will arise consciously from the cyclical order of the manifestation. It will develop your sense of being part of something bigger that is always changing and renewing.

It helps with processes such as: embracing your shadows, let go of the past, develop consciousness of your inner needs. Rituals connect with your intuition and live in harmony with yourself, the others, and nature.

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  Releasing ritual

  This incredible ritual is always powerful, but even more important if you have a hard time letting go.

  Because our body and mind get used to situations, habits, people, and patterns letting go is a hard exercise. How many times have you noticed that even though you know it’s the time, you keep holding on something you don’t need anymore? It’s a normal process, and if you develop consciousness about it, things start getting easier.

  This ritual, that you can do alone or in group, will be an important step to start the releasing process the Winter asks for you to embrace.

  • With a candle, a fireplace inside or a bonfire, sit in front of it or around it;
  • Start a meditation moment;
  • Write down all the things you want to let go of, in different pieces of paper;
  • One by one, through it to the fire and repeat “I’m ready to let go of… and I allow the fire to transform it.”

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  Cleanse everything at your home

  Winter is related to seclusion and inner coziness, so it is vital that you prepare the environment for this long season. Do a complete cleaning in your house.

  Start by walking through all the rooms and notice the objects you no longer use or do not reflect what you want to achieve. Objects, furniture, clothes, shoes … everything must be analyzed. Donate everything you do not want anymore.

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  Embrace your shadows

  Staying in and going on that inner journey will take you to your shadows. Your shadows are all of those things that you want to hide from yourself, your loved ones, and the world.

  A great transformation happens when we illuminate and embrace our shadows. Nevertheless, don’t worry if that is hard for you. We are taught since a young age to hide it and deny it. Therefore, a ritual will help you with the process.

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  Embracing and accepting your shadows will release you from the fear of not being perfect. It will also give you tools to deal with it. Let’s say you are very impulsive, you can learn about not aggressive communication, or to apologize and when you go beyond the limits.

  You can perform this ritual with a group, or by yourself. The first option might be scary, but those groups can become a supportive group and extremely important in your life. Nonetheless, if you are not ready, do it by yourself.

  • Use a candle, a fireplace, or a bonfire:
  • Sit in front of or around the fire;
  • Meditate for a moment;
  • If you are in a group, each one approaches the fire and repeats “I accept my shadows… I do my best”;
  • If you are in a group give space for tears, but most of all to hugs;
  • If you are alone, hug yourself;
  • Share some food, showing that no matter what you are ready to accept each other and work together;
  • If you are alone, eat something you love, showing you that even though you are not perfect, you love yourself.

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  Cleanse your body

  Once you have cleaned your entire house, it is time to cleanse your body. You can do this during an herbal infusion salt bath. The best herbs to do this are: ivy, holly, pine, evergreens, mistletoe, birch, frankincense, myrrh, oak and yew. All of these herbs are associated with the traditional Yule holiday.

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  Circle of candlelight ritual

  Despite the fact that this ritual for Winter is usually mentioned for groups, you can do it by yourself.

  This ritual is around since ancient ages since our ancestors knew the sun was returning from this day on. It is a ritual of gratitude for the sunlight and warmth, but also for everything that you have in your life.

  It’s very simple and consists of a sort of meditation, you can sit and breathe, but you can also dance or sing, while you expand the energy of gratitude from your heart to the people, and the entire world.

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  Rituals for Winter Solstice: Create a Yule altar

  To honor the return of the Sun it is a good idea to make a Yule altar. You can collect nature objects such as pine cones, berries, dry leaves and anything that relates to winter.

  Clear the space using sweetgrass or sage and then put your altar together with the objects you have collected. When your altar is ready, light a golden, silver or yellow candle. Meditate on your intentions.

  It is also interesting to make a natural garland and decorate your Christmas tree, adding some ornaments as shimmering stars.

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  Complete ritual for Winter Solstice

  This ritual is very complete when it comes to reinforcing your intentions for the future phase of your life. You are going to need:

  • 1 Pine sprig;
  • 1 Stick of Incense;
  • 1 Sunstone;
  • 4 red candles;
  • A small mirror;
  • A paper and a green ink pen.

  You should do this ritual outdoors, on a porch or near the window. Once you find your perfect spot, place the candles to form a square on the floor. Place the mirror in the center of this square and the Sunstone over the mirror.

  With a match light the candles and the incense. Pass the pine sprig over each candle clockwise and then place it on the mirror.

  Write down your wishes for the next phase you are starting in your life on the paper. When finished, fold the paper into four pieces and place it over the mirror and under the glass.

  It is necessary that the altar that you set up stays the same way for 24 hours. Candles and incense can not go away, so make sure they are lit until the end.

  At the end of the 24 hours, throw away what is left of the candles and the incense. Keep the crystal and pine sprig in a cloth bag and hide it in a secret place in your room. Place the paper in a vase with a flower or plant that you like. You can also leave the paper by a tree or in a garden.

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