December 2021
Greetings and well wishes to all!
Can you feel winter coming??!? Burr! Here in the North East it’s been hitting us like a brick wall! I used to hate winter but now I see it as a part of my spirit’s journey. The quiet part. The renewing part. The self-care and self-love part. The time to dream and sow those dreams in fertile soil. That is why the winter solstice is such an integral part of how I approach the winter season now. It transformed my previous dread into marvel and adoration. It gives meaning to the long nights and quite hours and wonder to the cold days and gray skies.
During the Winter Solstice -also known as Yule or midwinter or longest night-the sun is at the lowest point in the sky. This day we experience the shortest hours of sun and the longest night. This marks the start of winter and the sun moves into Capricorn. Hereafter, the cycle of light returns with days getting ever so slightly brighter and brighter until the Summer Solstice, which, conversely is the longest day and shortest night.
“The longest night gifts us with time to enter the darkness, fully. We hold our breaths with nature, where life is suspended waiting in extremis. The stillness behind action gathers as we empty and trust in our renewal. What will you give/lose to the night?” Oak Chezar@Mother Tongue Ink 2019.
On this longest night, we are invited to go inward, to get still, to pause and reflect. What lessons did we learn from last year’s journey? What did we grow and create? What are we holding on to that no longer serves us? Allowing this deep exhale to release, give gratitude and create space for our new breath of light and wisdom.
Ceremony ~What celebration and ceremony means at this time~
For thousands of years people have been coming together to celebrate the winter solstice: from Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland, to the Yuzu baths in Japan, people from around the world have create ceremony recognizing this day part of their cultural tradition.
These ceremonies and rituals allow us to pause and to be present. They allow us to ground into the moment and to take a bigger look at what is going on around us. This moment can offer us more sympathy, empathy, compassion, understanding, contemplation, love, and assurance. It can also help us create healing for wounds or loss we’ve experienced. It can realign us with our purpose, our dharma, our goals and our dreams, helping to keep us in track. Ceremony connects us to our inner nature and our community on this planet. It allows us to be more human.
This ritual will be combined with a meditation to sow the ‘inner seeds’ of this symbology into our hearts and souls.
The Invitation:
I will be holding two circles & meditations this December: one live online on Sunday 12/19 at 4pm, and one in my home office at 6pm on 12/21 in Northport NY. Decide which will work best for you.
What you will need :
- a candle
- a stone or crystal
- small bowl of water
- a feather, wand or leaf
- a journal and a pen
- anything you may want to grab to make you more comfortable while you sit for the meditation.
These Workshops are FREE. This is my seva to this community and I offer it as a part of my dharma, to serve and create sacred spaces. If you feel like you would like to contribute to a cause I am fundraising for the rest month of December to the Retreat. This nonprofit organization helps women in domestically abusive environments get the support and protection they need. As a survivor of domestic abuse, I know the holidays are the hardest times of year in these situations. Substance abuse often accompanies these types of relationships and the holidays spike substance dependencies and create more violence. Please help if you can to assure more women and children are saved and out of harm’s way this holiday season. This gift of peace and safety can help to uplift and change their lives forever.
Also, if you aren’t able to join for the Solstice Circle & Meditation in person or the online group and are interested “The Creating Your Own Winter Solstice Ritual Guide (PDF)” I’ve created, please reach out to me and I will send you one right to your mailbox!
I will leave you with the lyrics of my favorite songs to listen to this time of year; “Long Time Sun” by Snatam Kaur.
‘May the long time sun
Shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light
Within you
Guide your way on
Guide your way on
Guide your way on
Sat Nam’ (God is true and everlasting)
Be Blessed,
Shana
Related posts…
April’s Messages- can you hear them?
New Beginnings Before 1582, April was regarded as the first month of the year until the Gregorian calendar was introduced. So, happy new year to any of you celebrating! In fact, April was one of the first months named. The significance of a name can resonate deeply...
Navigating the Forest of Intuition: Uncovering the Path to Profound Understanding
Journey through the dense undergrowth of uncertainty and skepticism to uncover the hidden trails of intuition, where obstacles mirror life’s challenges and disruptions. Embrace the whispers of your inner voice as you traverse this profound forest, emerging into the sunlit meadow of profound understanding and enlightenment.
Five Tips to Usher In Your Manifestations!
Have you ever found yourself pondering over your deepest desires, visualizing how you want to express your life, and asking, “What is it that I want to attract and manifest?” It’s a concept that might seem bizarre to some, and one that is often met with a lot of doubt. This is especially true when it comes to the belief or concept of manifesting or attraction. You might have heard of “The Secret,” Abraham-Hicks, or Gabby Bernstein, and thought it all sounded a bit too “woo-woo.” However, it’s a concept that is definitely worth exploring.
Regardless of your personal beliefs, manifestation can be an incredibly useful tool for achieving your dreams. Whether you see it as a blueprint for action or a method of bringing your desires to life, the practice holds true value. And the best part? Its applications extend far beyond just achieving your goals – its principles can be applied to many areas of your life.
Manifestation is a powerful tool that can help you bring your desires and dreams into reality. While there are many techniques for manifesting, some of the most effective ones are often overlooked. Here are five tips for manifesting that will be sure to can bring you closer to joy:
Discover Your Inner Wisdom: A Beginner’s Guide to Intuition and Feeling Your Vibes
In astrological terms, this is the start of a new year. We go from the heavenly and spiritual energy of Pisces; the slow watery sign that dreams and imagines, that is not so tied to this earthly plane as it is to the next, and lives half beyond the veil, to the Aries’ abrupt, rising, warrior energy.
Most of the ancient and modern astrologers agree that the year’s wheel is a metaphor to the lifecycle. We start out as babies with the high intensive energy of Aries, and make our way until we are in our later years (i.e. months) with the ending of the year in the wise, twinkling and elder spirit of Pisces.
The Aries temperament is similar to a young child’s in that it is fresh and vibrant, it has no fear, it goes after what it wants, it cries when it doesn’t get it -but- gets right back up again! This temperament may get angry, however, Aries has taught us to use that anger for production, and never to hold onto it.
…There are various other cultures and traditions that attach characteristics, emotions, energy, colors, and, even, taste and sounds to these transitional times. But, the majority would agree that this is the most impactful time of year, full of metamorphoses and change: the time leaving winter and entering spring. The opposition of these two seasonal energies create a vortex of possibilities in each of our lives…
About the Author…
Shana is a New Yorker and a native to Long Island’s east end. A lifelong passion in food, health and wellness led her to become an advanced 500 hour registered Yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance, a Licensed Body Worker, a trained Herbalist, a Reiki and PEMF (Pulse Electro-Magnetic Field) Practitioner.
She has studied abroad in India, as well as studying functional and integrative nutrition at IIN (Institute of Integrated Nutrition), is a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), and Certified Hypno-counselor.
She is well versed in ancient theologies and eastern healing systems such as acupuncture and Ayurveda. Working with these philosophies, and integrating holistic nutrition, yoga and meditation is how she serves and supports her clients to heal and transform their lives. Shana currently lives in Northport, NY where she works as a Holistic Coach.
Did you know Meditation can reduce insomnia by 75%?
It can reduce anxiety by 60%?
It increases heart, hormonal and gut health!!
The problem is… whenever you’ve tried it, a voice goes off in your head and the laundry list of to-dos rattles off, or there’s the train you need to catch or the dog that has to go out or the kid that’s late for school. Sound familiar
That’s why I made this FREE Yoga Nidra recording.
To make meditation EASY, ENJOYABLE and DOABLE so that you can gain ALL those benefits by literally just lying there! An easy first step to ultimate health.
Start with an “ahh….”