A Ritual for Sun’s Return
- Find a dark place… Somewhere pitch black. A closet, a basement, or just crawl under a heavy blanket. Get yourself into total darkness. (If you’ve got a lighter, bring it for later.)
- Settle… Where does your gaze go in the dark? What do you “see” now? When we remove the light (outer awareness, ego), our rigid sense of self immediately begins to break down. Notice how you feel when you can’t see the world around you. Where does your awareness go now? Where are your problems? Who are you in this space?
- Slowly find the light... Spark your lighter. Or if you’re under a blanket, lift an edge slightly. Let yourself see everything anew – the strange shapes around you, the funny bend in your wrist, the oily shine of your palm. Who are you in this new light? Who might you be?
Try this ritual any time between the winter solstice and the end of the calendar year and journal about your experience immediately after. Let the questions from step #3 inspire you to record any new year dreams or intentions. When we perform a ritual like this beforehand, our intentions take on new life. They carry much more power because we’re essentially performing a reset, we’re emptying the vessel so to speak. This allows much more clarity around what we want to bring in. It sets the ground for success. ꩜
*Painting by Kōno Bairei, “Luring the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Out of a Cave“, c. late 19th Century, one of many myths surrounding the winter solstice
