In the northern hemisphere, Winter Solstice marks the darkest, longest night of the year and the moment when earth shifts toward the return of light.

Every year, on or near December 21st when the Sun's journey through the zodiac shifts from Sagittarius to Capricorn, the sun appears to stand still, or rise and set in the same place for a few days. This moment marks the longest night, when Earth's very breath seems to falter in the face of the overpowering dark. Then, almost imperceptibly, the sun begins its long journey toward the south again, and all of creation begins to exhale after a period of building anticipation.

At Winter Solstice the seed of light is tightly folded within the bud of darkness. From now on, as the days lengthen, the sun-seed slowly begins to unfurl from this center, though the spring days of Imbolc and Beltaine, to its full flowers at Summer Solstice. At this point it will reach the outermost ring of the year's spiral and begin to contract slowly back toward the center once again.

Together we will honor the longest night of the year and welcoming the return of the light

We will sense the importance of what it means to give birth to new life and what it takes to nurture that which  longs to reveal and express itself in the world. We must show up with renewed commitment and faith in the journey that lies ahead, trusting that our dreams will carry us into a new tomorrow, and always with the light of love guiding us on our way.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

In the first hour we will:

• Arrive & come into shared presence
• Experience a guided dream journey
• Engage in reflective journaling
• In the last hour we will shift into Silent Beholding for restful contemplation, prayer or meditation. How you choose to engage in silence is up to you. This will culminate our Advents series. For this portion of our time together there will be no speaking or facilitation. This is a space to simple BE in silent communion together. You are welcome to leave at any point.

We ask that you please:

• Mute your our mic.
• Be in a dark space for the duration of your practice with your candle lit if your video is on.

WAYS TO ENGAGE SILENCE:

• Flame gazing: stare into the flame as you contemplate the power of your own inner light and how you can share that light with others
• Courting the Heart: Breathe into and touch with tenderness your energetic heart space. Rest there in your inner home.
• Rooted Medtiation: As you sit, find complete stillness. Simply notice any tendancy to want to move or fidget. Turn your awareness to the base of your posture at your sit bones. Invite your awareness to anchor here at the root. Sense into the aliveness of this connection as you allow gravity to receive you. Allow your lower body to become heavy as it merges with the ground and your heart/spine lengthen toward the sky like a tree.