Welcome!
The winter solstice is a time of deepening and calling back to the
light. It is one of the most powerful turning points of the year when
one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun. It is
an astronomical phenomenon marking the day with the shortest period of
daylight and the longest night of the year.
At this auspicious time of the year, we can attune to the energy of
the earth that begins to pull inward. Nature contracts and pulls
downward. As the seasons turn, we can find a quiet time to draw into our
center, exploring our higher self, and connecting with our spirit. Just
as the earth settles this time of year, we can let ourselves settle. We
can mindfully turn within and welcome the peace it brings and the love
that accompanies it.
Acknowledge the depth of this time in your life and the planet we
live on. Use the power of the Divine Universe to give you courage for
the next steps. Listen and hear guidance to accept everything just the
way it is.
Elevate Your Consciousness!
Mary Jane
 Waking Well
During the winter season we are surrounded by more darkness. Without the
darkness there would be no light. Take this time to retreat inward and
restore your energy. Here are a few simple ways to do that.
1. Wake early and reconnect with your bodily cycles (circadian
rhythms). You may find there's extra time before breakfast to do some
worthwhile meditation.
2. Draw insights from dreams when you wake up while they are still
fresh. Follow your intuition with the symbols that show up. Keep a diary
to record your dreams so that you can review them later in the day or
week.
3. Immediately upon waking, think about how you can bring joy to another
person. Practice Metta or loving friendliness towards others. This is
an extraordinary frequency to begin your day.
4. Engage all five senses as soon as you awaken. The sight of sunlight
or darkness, the sound of birdsong, the feel of a towel, the taste of
your breakfast, the wafting smell of coffee or tea brewing.
5. Say a morning prayer giving thanks for a new day, your family, friends, health and happiness.
 Create a Power Grid of Crystals
This
is a wonderful way to lift the energy within your environment
especially this time of the year when the energy moves inward and
downward. You can create a simple offering tray of assorted crystals and
keep it in the area where you meditate and pray, or you can place them
around your home. Stones and crystals are energetically aligned to the
southwest, northeast and center points.
It's a great idea to bless and clear your stones prior to placing them
in the home. You can do this by leaving them outdoors during a full
moon, sunrise, or rain/snow event. Set prayerful intentions over the
stones, and then place them on your tray offering, or in the
aforementioned points of your environment.
Celebrating Light During the Winter Solstice:
Throughout
time people have celebrated the light of the sun. Special ceremonies to
honor the time of the solstice and equinox mark not only the movement
of the sun, but the inherent cycles within spiritual and physical life.
The astronomical events of the Solstices corresponds to our own rhythms
helping us to understand what to focus on in the ever-changing cycles of
life. They are powerful points in time to celebrate the light and
consciously expand.
The changing seasons are associated with the key points within the human
life cycle. The winter solstice has a direct correlation with seeking
higher states of consciousness through meditation. Expanding your
consciousness increases your vibration so healing at every level can
take place.
Celebrating:
 Just as the seasons move through cycles,
there are peaks and lows in the spiritual human journey. There are
times to create, move forward and share, and there are times to rest,
retreat and nurture self. This is the time to pull in, listen more than
speak, be flexible and contemplate life just as it is now.
This time of year is a natural way to reconnect with life's Divine plan
and to feel a deep connection with self and others. Honor and celebrate
your unique spiritual path while living as a human being.
There are many ways you can celebrate the Solstice from gathering with
friends and family, taking a spiritual retreat, attending a candlelight
meditation ceremony, engaging with nature, sitting around a campfire,
star gazing, spending time with elders and listening to the wisdom they
have to share. This list can go on and on. The idea is to engage in an
activity that resonates with you internally.
The Ebb and Flow of Your Yoga Practice:
 Beatles Ashram Rishikesh, India
The
length of the day, the span of the year, the duration of a life, the
blossoming and decay of a flower; your yoga practice mirrors the rhythm
of these cyclical changes. Every time you practice yoga your experience
is different from every other time you have practiced. You have your
favorite poses and sequences, but consider the fact that we grow and
change as individuals every day and in every moment. This means that
everything is new each time we do it, including our yoga practice. What
we may have loved one day on our mat, we dislike the next day. You may
be drawn to an intense yoga practice, and then your tastes may shift and
you prefer a more yin practice. Like nature, and like you, your yoga
practice can fluctuate and grow to surprise you over time.
Like the peaceful warrior, when the work is done, we can rest and seek the journey within.
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