Today, December 21, 2022,  at 4:48 PM Eastern time, the Northern Hemisphere will be at the furthest point from the sun, and therefore we will experience the shortest day of the year and the longest night. This is the Winter Solstice.

Sol is the Latin word for Sun, and sistere means to stand still. The solstice is when “the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator appears to stand still” (Farmer’s Almanac).

After today, there will be what many cultures call a rebirth of the Sun as daylight hours increase.

(Of course, those living in the Southern Hemisphere will have the opposite experience and will mark the beginning of summer.)

Various cultures have attributed particular qualities to the Winter Solstice.

In ancient China, people believed that positive things would become more vital after this day, as the power of the Sun grew stronger.

In ancient Rome, it was a time to forgive quarrels and grudges.

In ancient Celtic cultures, people regarded the Winter Solstice as the time when our souls, in tandem with nature’s powers, would be renewed. The old Sun dies, and the New Year Sun is born the next day, bringing a new lease on life.

Today, as darkness envelops us, let us take this opportunity to allow ourselves to rest, to release everything that has been holding negative energy. Perhaps reflect on what you would like to release and what you would like to embrace.

Nature’s cycles encompass all of life. We are part of these cycles and can find strength by acknowledging our role in the greater scheme of things. As nature transforms, so do we.

You might want to light a candle, write down what you’d like to let go of on a small piece of paper, burn it (safely, of course!), or rip it up. Then, write what you’d like to embrace and tuck it away in a safe place.

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. –Albert Camus