Winter, the coldest season of the year, brings with it more than just chilly air, breath-taking snowy landscapes, and cozy fires. It also represents an inward journey, a time for self-reflection, and an opportunity to reconnect with oneself and nature. As winter’s icy grip takes hold, here are three powerful rituals that you can incorporate into your life to celebrate this seasonal shift.
This Season naturally lends itself to darkness. It sometimes even feels like Space and Air are the only elements running the show for months. This can lead to scattered thoughts, our mind descending down rabbit holes, and a disconnect between the mind and the body. The best way to stay grounded and moving towards our goals in winter, is to make their presence louder than the mind chatter that is pulling you away from them.
Rituals are Important for our ability to follow through. We when dont have a system in place, our goals may never manifest or take longer than necessary. Rituals can be anything that you do that achieves a goal. Brushing your teeth, making your coffee before you wake the kids up, setting our clothes for a special occasion, these are all rituals.
But, if you want to really add some magic and beauty to your reality, then that should be reflected in a few of your rituals as well.
The Early Winter Rituals in this article will be for embodying the aspects of winter that can speak to the soul. The items are all suggestions and are mainly applicable for areas that are experiencing winter as colder and with snow.
Ritual 1: Spreading the Light Ritual
Items to include: A Lamp*, candle (at your own risk), or battery string lights/candles.
*I suggest a lamp for 2 reasons: Its less costly than buying new candles and replacing batteries… and you can get creative here and have a special or decorative “winter lamp” that has the potential to light up your whole space.
Bring your own light to the darkness with a special lights or candles.
A Hour before sunset, turn on the lamp or light your candle(s) and reflect on how precious light is. Be grateful and not melancholy, if you can help it.
The lamps/candles represent the sun, the stars, and the light in our hearts. Just like the moon, we reflect more in the winter. Set an intention with this ritual to bring more inner light into your world. An intention of hope and kindness. “Know” that what you put out, will be reflected back to you. Have faith in your ability to dig deep into your heart to pull the light up.
Ritual 2: Winter Alter Ritual
Items to include:
- winter greenery
- Edible nuts from native trees or spent flowers from native floara
- A candle or light element (see part 1)
The Greenery Represents shelter, protection, perseverance, and prosperity.
The nuts and flowers are the seeds of new beginnings. They represent Hope, Renewal, and full bellies
The Light represents the sun and that it’s precious life giving light and warmth will return now as the days become longer.
It is important to keep you alter fresh for two reasons: I keeps the space clear of stagnant energy and to be consistent with reminding yourself of your goals or what makes you feel love in this life.
The ritual is on going: When you pass by your alter or gaze at it, Remind yourself of what each item represents and how you’re drawing that energy in to yourself.
At the end of winter, you can have another ritual to close winter and asses the changes winter brought as you’re preparing for the Spring Equinox.
RITUAL 3: The “Here and Now” Ritual
Items to include:
- A Mandala Image
- Comfortable clothes to wear so you’re not distracted by discomfort due to clothing or temperature.
- A journal or a pad of paper and a pen
Your Mandala symbolizes your point of existence in relation to everything else that you affect. It’s a sacred shape and can be very powerful when its image is revered as a catalyst for remembering to be present and aware.
Gaze at the mandala image and let its symbolism marinate in your mind. You, at this very moment, are in this exact spot, at this exact second and effect so much just by sitting still, let alone when you start to make your way around the world.
Looking up from the image and find 5 things that are pleasant about your surroundings and 5 things that are neutral and 5 things that are unpleasant to just your eyes. You can get up and look out the window for this too.
Next, close your eyes and listen for the sounds and note them. example would be to just label the sounds as they enter your awareness. Do this for a few moments.
Next, notice any scents in the air, sensations around the body, tastes in your mouth, and how you feel in relation to the walls or objects around you. Take your time with each sensation.
Write down the the list of 5 pleasant, 5 neutral, and 5 unpleasant. It may have changed once the other senses were explored, so don’t feel like you have to stick with the original 15.
Now ground yourself in the present even further and take 10 deep, long breaths and follow each one on its journey into your lungs and out.
Stay here as long as you need.
This ritual ground you into your environment, calms an irrational or emotion bound mind, and calms the nervous system. It’s prefect for winter because many individuals find the negative mind chatter becomes loudest in these spacious and echoing months. When we remind our mind that the danger is only in its impressive imagination and not actually happening at this moment, we gain so much relief and clarity.
Theses are just some rituals you can do in Early Winter. They can also be done anytime this season to reconnect with the magic of this season.
SUNYATA YOGA 