We had a wonderful ritual celebrating the upcoming winter solstice. We reflected on how, as the days are getting shorter and the nights longer - with the dark, often overcast days - we long for solitude and deep inwardness, as well as for the warmth of a supportive community. And we long for light - firelight, candlelight, a hearth - the "contained light" around which we can gather as a community, to share our experiences, our stories, as well as food and drink. 

As we approach the winter solstice, we fully enter the North of the Medicine Wheel - the place of hibernation, of the bear, the place of stillness, incubation and dreams. As the trees around us release their final leaves, we meditated on what in our lives we knew was at an end, but that we were still holding on to - afraid to let go. After the mediation, we wrote down what needed to be released, and with the community as witness, we let the altar fire consume the paper with that knowing. 

Finally, we sealed in an envelope something that we felt needed to incubate through the winter, so it can sprout in spring.

For those of you who were not at the circle, but would like to participate in this part of the ritual, please take a paper, pen and an envelope. Then, ask yourself, "what is it that I want to incubate this winter, which I hope will be ready for sprouting in spring?" Write down the first thought that pops up - no censoring, no second guessing. Then, put the paper in the envelope, seal it, and place it on your altar, inside a book that you'll remember, under your pillow... On March 21, I will send out an email when you can open the envelope, and see what happened to the seed that you had incubated at the peak of this winter.