Happy Christmas!

Here in the UK it’s common to wish people Happy Christmas rather than Happy holidays simply because Christmas has become a largely secular event, and many non-Christian’s celebrate the coming of Father Christmas, rather than the birth of Jesus.

But I wanted to explore the more ancient elements of this time of year.

You’re probably already aware that the winter Solstice is the 21st December. Under the old Julian calendar, the solstice fell on the 25th December – which is why the Church selected that date to mark Christmas. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted, the dates were moved around, meaning that it now falls on the 21st.

The solstice is actually a point in time; but generally, it’s considered the day of the year when the night is at its longest. The heart of winter, when nature is in its rest and restore phase. Everything lays dormant, replenishing itself after a ‘fruitful’ year.

I always find it interesting how many people sense that they want to hunker down at this time of year- to sleep, rest, eat and go within- whilst, culturally, it’s party season.

Celebrating is far from a new concept of course, our ancient ancestors built monuments to track the cycle of the sun and would feast and burn a ‘yule log’ (which we now eat a chocolate version of) to pay homage in the hope that the sun would return again and bless them with another bountiful and prosperous year ahead.  

It marks the birth of a new cycle, when the light triumphs over darkness, and the Earth begins its journey back towards brighter, warmer days.

Often our own personal growth phase follows the same patterns; how many people decide to shed the ‘old self’ going into the new year setting resolutions? I’ll come back to this next week.

Even the word Solstice means ‘sun standing still’.

So, this week, with all of the busyness that comes with preparing for and celebrating Christmas, I’d like to invite you to take a moment to go within and reflect. It’s a great opportunity to honour our personal cycles and the ever-constant flow of change that is human life. Lighting a candle during this process is a beautiful symbol of inviting in the light to the darkness.

You might wish to honour and acknowledging the end and the beginning using the journaling questions below:

·         What have you released or ended this year?

·         What positives or learning opportunities can you take from it?

·         What have you begun this year?

·         How have you grown or developed this year?

·         What are you most grateful for from this year?

Or join us on Tuesday 21st December at 8pm UK time for a Winter Solstice Ceremony to celebrate the year that has been and set new intentions for next year. Sign up here.

Happy Solstice, and Christmas… May both bring you everything your soul desires.

About the Author

Helen Hardware is the Soulful Confidence Coach for spiritually inspired entrepreneurs who want to feel unstoppable. 

Through her unique combination of coaching and spiritual hypnosis to clear blocks and karma from this life and from past lives, Helen helps her client’s to accelerate their business, personal and spiritual growth through self-empowerment.