Yule Healing for Winter Solstice

By Becci Stockman

Celebrate the return of the light this Yuletide season with healing rituals for winter solstice.

Ancient Pagan traditions referred to the winter solstice, occurring on December 21st, as Yule. Just like the summer solstice, the winter solstice gifts us with a celebration of the great fire festival. Instead of honoring fertility, Yule presents to us a time of reflection and rebirth—A time to venture within to reflect, cleanse, and heal.

New energy is on the horizon. Embrace this celestial beauty, and dance with the flow of the cosmos. Let’s explore some healing rituals you can practice during this time:

Radiate light on your shadows

Dive into the depths of your soul to discover a deeper meaning. A beautiful way to explore your feelings and emotions is to take pen to paper and let your thoughts flow onto the page to see what comes up. Unleash your biggest fears and let go of that which no longer serves you. By transcending these fears into courage, you can overcome what is holding you back.

What are the primary limitations in your life? Push the boundaries and go beyond the now. Step into your full potential. You deserve to live as your highest self. By reflecting and releasing our thoughts we can gain great insights into the soul. Allow your spirit to guide you and see what comes up. You may be surprised! Journaling offers such a simple, yet profound way of expressing ourselves—A beautiful practice to bring into your daily ritual and grasp an understanding of your truth.

Honor the return of the Sun

In ancient pagan traditions, seasons were a vital element in the lives of these individuals. Therefore, they worshipped the sun and its rebirth after the darkness of winter months, and the Sun was known as ‘the wheel that changed the seasons'.

Yule is a Celebration of the Return of the Light. Take this time to create a sacred yule altar to worship the light that will come. By lighting a gold, silver, or yellow candle at your altar you can embody the healing energy that the sunbeams radiate and reflect on how far you have come this year. Express gratitude for Surya and all of the opportunities she gifts us through shining light on our days and onto our life. Illuminating our shadows, we can heal and move forward from a place of love.

Set intentions for 2021

Get clear on what you want for the year ahead during this powerful time for self-reflection—A time for new beginnings. What did you achieve in 2020 and what goals are you continuing to work towards? Setting our intentions during this time is extremely powerful and allows us to elevate towards growth moving into a new cycle.

Alongside each intention have an idea of the action needed to achieve this goal. We can all dream of our deepest desires but it’s those who actively take action who reach their true potential. We can all achieve anything that we put our minds to, so believe in yourself!

Weave an Evergreen Wreath

The winter solstice gifts us with a time to celebrate the natural world. Collecting Mother Nature’s treasures such as oak, holly, and ivy represents everlasting life. Weaving these together and integrating pine cones and berries offer a fun way to get creative and express your inner artist. You can get the kids involved too and spend some quality time with your loved ones. Make sure to hang your creations on the entrance to your home afterward as a symbol of protection and prosperity.

Spend time in meditative silence

As the longest night of the year, we are being called to venture within and explore the depths of our soul. Embark on a soul discovering journey to see what comes up so that you can set your goals for the year ahead. Practice inner reflection whilst appreciating stillness. What better time to explore the field of silence than when the entire world is in darkness? Here we can find the beauty in solitude...

Try a healing tea blend ritual

Warm up the mind, body, and soul with a festive tea blend made up of dry herbs this yuletide season. Here are some of our favorites ingredients, which will you integrate into your own unique Yule tea blend: Rooibos, Star Anise, Clove, Cinnamon, Orange Peel, Hibiscus, Cranberry, Elderberry, Juniper Berry, Cedar Leaf. Sip on this warm solace whilst spending some time in self-reflection to truly embrace a sense of holiday healing this winter solstice.

We hope you have a healthy and happy end to what has been an intense, yet transformative year.

Blessings to you all!