December 20, 2023 • 19 mins
In this Winter Solstice episode, we embrace the solstice as a time for inner stillness and rejuvenation. It's an opportunity to transform the shortest day into a deeply spiritual experience, one where we connect intimately with the rhythm of Mother Earth. This episode includes a guided meditation to practice during the winter solstice, helping us to turn inwards and anchor ourselves in the natural cycles of growth.
This episode is a call to end the year feeling rooted and rested, dispelling the hustle to embrace a gentler approach. Whether you're gazing upon a sunrise or embracing the embrace of a loved one, this episode offers a gift of reflection and meditation, a silent nod to the powerful cycles of nature that guide our growth.
- 06:27 Meditation Begins
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In today's episode we're going to talk all about
the winter solstice and we'regoing to practice a meditation
to help you feel rooted as wemove through this transition of
season.
Hi, and welcome back to how theWise One Grows.
This podcast is a space wherewe come together to reconnect to
(00:24):
our inner wisdom, to oneanother, in the natural world.
In today's episode we're reallygoing to lean in to our
connection to the natural worldby talking about the winter
solstice and practicing ameditation that's in alignment
with this transition of seasons.
But before we get started, Ijust want to take a moment to
(00:48):
land here, together with threedeep breaths.
So just situate yourself whereyou are for a moment and, if it
feels safe, if you're notdriving, you can gently rest
your eyes and notice where yourbody makes contact with the
earth and take a big breath in,fill your chest, fill your belly
(01:18):
with air, exhale, open yourmouth, let it all out Again.
Inhale, fill your chest, fillyour belly with air, exhale,
open your mouth, let it all go.
One more, inhale and exhale andreturn to that point of contact
(01:47):
with the earth as you return tothis space.
December 21st marks thesolstice.
If you're in the northernhemisphere, it's the winter
solstice, so that means we havethe shortest day and the longest
night of the year, and ifyou're in the southern
hemisphere, it's when you'regoing to have the longest day
(02:13):
and the shortest night, butwe're going to lean into the
winter solstice for the northernhemisphere during our time
together today.
So, like I said before, thewinter solstice is the shortest
day and the longest night, andit's a really good time.
It's a time when nature istelling us to go inside right,
(02:37):
and not just like go inside ofyour homes, but to turn your
awareness inward.
That's what nature's doing.
It's like turning off all thenoise, turning off the lights
and going inside, doing thatdeep underground work.
This is the time of year forthese things, so it's a great
(02:58):
time for inner work.
It's a great time to setintentions.
I know we most typically thinkabout New Year's resolutions
being the time where we gear upfor what we want for the year
ahead, but if we're leaning intowhat's happening in the natural
world, the winter solstice is areally potent time for that.
I'm not a big advocate for NewYear's resolutions, so much as I
(03:21):
am for setting intentions andways of being for each year and
knowing that it doesn't have tohappen once a year, that it can
happen again and again everysingle day.
But if we want to lean into theenergy of this time of year,
it's a really good time forreflection and intention setting
.
So this is a really good timeto go inward, to do some deep
(03:45):
inner work and reflection and tofocus on that underground
growth.
So it's not like the I'm goingto achieve this and that and the
other.
It's getting deep in the rootsof setting in the work and the
stuff that happens that no onesees, that you don't get a pat
on the back for all the time.
It's doing those deepunderground things that set the
(04:06):
foundation, that make us strongso that we can grow in all kinds
of ways.
And the solstice is a reallygreat time to call in light.
When we talk about how we wantto celebrate the solstice,
working with light is somethingto think about.
So maybe you want to focus onsome of this reflection.
Maybe you want to practice thismeditation while you are
(04:29):
watching the sunrise or watchingthe sunset.
Maybe you want to practice by afire.
Maybe you even want to likehave a bonfire outside and
decorate your own yule log with,like a natural greens wrapped
around that log and writing yourintentions on it and setting it
into the fire.
Maybe it's just lighting somecandles and having some quiet
(04:50):
time to sit with your practice,to sit with yourself and go
inside.
So these are just a few waysyou can honor this shifting of
seasons and to connect with itwithin you.
I also just want to lean in hereand remind us that this is a
good time to slow down.
You might be hearing a lot ofrhetoric this time of year about
(05:13):
ending the year strong andhustling and doing all the
things.
However, you might want toconsider leaning into this
mindset of ending the yearfeeling rooted and rested and
ready to begin again.
So, as you're reflecting on theyear that is coming to a close
(05:39):
and we get ready to embark onthe year ahead, the solstice can
be a really good time to letyourself replenish and nourish,
so we can do this deep work andset the intentions for the ways
in which we wish to grow as wemove forward, as we continue to
move through this life.
So these are just some thingsto hold in mind, and now we're
(06:03):
going to practice together.
So, if you haven't already,find a space that feels safe and
supportive for you to practice.
You can practice seated, youcan practice lying down, you can
also practice on a walk, ifthat's what your body is calling
for.
Just find a space that feelssupportive for you and let's get
(06:25):
started.
And we're gonna begin today'smeditation by gradually shifting
our awareness away from what'shappening around us and drawing
the attention inward.
So we're gonna do that with thesenses.
So start by using your sense ofsight right now.
Use your sense of sight tonotice where you are, maybe note
(06:49):
like three or four thingsaround you right now, and then
you can gently rest your eyes orsoften your gaze and start to
bring your attention to sound.
(07:10):
Notice where your body makescontact with the earth, notice
where you feel the breath movingthrough the body, and take a
(07:37):
big breath in and a big breathout and start to get really
curious about the breath here.
Notice the inhale and the exhaleand then slowly begin to deepen
(08:04):
the breath here.
Take a long, slow, deep breathand then slowly begin to deepen
the breath here.
Take a long, slow inhale.
(08:26):
Take a long, slow inhale,exhale and pause.
Long, slow inhale, longer,slower, exhale and pause.
(09:01):
Continue to breathe in this wayby deepening the breath, we tap
into the parasympatheticnervous system, we communicate
(09:21):
to the body and the mind thatit's okay, you can relax, you're
safe here.
And then release any controlover the breath and just
(09:52):
surrender and trust the naturalrhythm and intuition of the
breath.
Know that the body simply knowshow to breathe here.
So surrender to that wisdom asthe breath flows in and out and
(10:22):
take a little mental inventoryhere.
Scan your body from head to toeand just notice how you feel.
Notice if there's any subtleadjustments you could make to
(10:47):
feel 5 to 10% more comfortablehere and honor that.
Embrace any movements that aregoing to help you feel more
supported here and then let thebody become still, let your
(11:18):
shoulders soft and down the backas you rest in knowing that you
are held by the earth beneathyou here, and then notice if
(11:44):
anything arises for you here.
Maybe there's like a pesteringthought that just won't go away,
or maybe there's like someemotional quality that you're
feeling or some part of the bodythat is really loud right now
(12:07):
and I want you to push it away.
I want you to lean into it in away that feels safe and just be
with it.
Let this being be an act ofreflection, maybe even bring a
(12:35):
hand to where in the body youfeel that sensation and let
yourself fully sit with, fullybe with what's here.
And I invite you to askyourself now what's something
(13:37):
you're proud of?
Shutting some light into thismoment, just take a moment to
(14:03):
really celebrate yourself here,to feel that sensation of pride,
feeling strong here, be proudof yourself for showing up for
this moment it's no small thingand then ask yourself what needs
(14:38):
attention in this moment andwhat needs attention in the
earhut.
You don't need to think aboutit too much, just notice what
(15:02):
comes to mind and then askyourself what are some
intentions that you have for theearhut?
(15:25):
What do you want for this nextyear?
How do you want to feel as youmove through your life?
And then see if you can weavein that thing that needs
(15:55):
attention to that intention.
So being willing to do the deepunderground work as a part of
our underground growth, reachingthese roots, getting the soil
(16:19):
ready to plant the seeds of ourintention.
And maybe come up with a word,like one to three words or maybe
a short phrase that encompassesthis attention and intention
(16:47):
that you want to carry with you,and bring hand to the heart and
(17:08):
repeat this intention threetimes in your mind.
Knowing this seed, knowing thatevery time you practice you're
(17:38):
watering it.
Let's take one more breathtogether, in through the nose
and out through the mouth, andyou can slowly open your eyes as
you return to this space.
Know that and return towardsyour roots.
(18:00):
We come together every week forthese mindful conversations and
meditations.
So coming together on thispodcast is a way you can bring
attention and intention intoyour life in a way in which you
can water this seed.
So we're here, we're doing thiswork as a community, so let's
(18:22):
just keep taking it one breathat a time.
Thank you so much for listeningto this podcast today.
I want to thank the people whomake it possible.
That's you, the listeners, andthat's the members of the Dream
Team.
So the Dream Team is a group ofincredible people who I adore,
(18:43):
who come together every month tosupport this podcast
financially and you can supportthis podcast for as little as
three dollars a month and thatsupport the operating costs and
the work that go into makingthis offering into the world.
So if you want to join theDream Team, there's a link in
the show notes to join.
Super simple Choose the amountthat's right for you and become
(19:05):
a part of this community thatwe're growing in ways that we
are cultivating this deep innerwork within ourselves and one
another.
And if you can't support thepodcast, find out more about the
Dream Team.
And if you can't support thepodcast financially at this time
, totally understand.
You can still make a big impactand support this podcast by
(19:27):
following, if you don't already,and sharing an episode that you
love with a friend.
In today's episode we're going to talk all about
the winter solstice and we'regoing to practice a meditation
to help you feel rooted as wemove through this transition of
season.
Hi, and welcome back to how theWise One Grows.
This podcast is a space wherewe come together to reconnect to
(00:24):
our inner wisdom, to oneanother, in the natural world.
In today's episode we're reallygoing to lean in to our
connection to the natural worldby talking about the winter
solstice and practicing ameditation that's in alignment
with this transition of seasons.
But before we get started, Ijust want to take a moment to
(00:48):
land here, together with threedeep breaths.
So just situate yourself whereyou are for a moment and, if it
feels safe, if you're notdriving, you can gently rest
your eyes and notice where yourbody makes contact with the
earth and take a big breath in,fill your chest, fill your belly
(01:18):
with air, exhale, open yourmouth, let it all out Again.
Inhale, fill your chest, fillyour belly with air, exhale,
open your mouth, let it all go.
One more, inhale and exhale andreturn to that point of contact
(01:47):
with the earth as you return tothis space.
December 21st marks thesolstice.
If you're in the northernhemisphere, it's the winter
solstice, so that means we havethe shortest day and the longest
night of the year, and ifyou're in the southern
hemisphere, it's when you'regoing to have the longest day
(02:13):
and the shortest night, butwe're going to lean into the
winter solstice for the northernhemisphere during our time
together today.
So, like I said before, thewinter solstice is the shortest
day and the longest night, andit's a really good time.
It's a time when nature istelling us to go inside right,
(02:37):
and not just like go inside ofyour homes, but to turn your
awareness inward.
That's what nature's doing.
It's like turning off all thenoise, turning off the lights
and going inside, doing thatdeep underground work.
This is the time of year forthese things, so it's a great
(02:58):
time for inner work.
It's a great time to setintentions.
I know we most typically thinkabout New Year's resolutions
being the time where we gear upfor what we want for the year
ahead, but if we're leaning intowhat's happening in the natural
world, the winter solstice is areally potent time for that.
I'm not a big advocate for NewYear's resolutions, so much as I
(03:21):
am for setting intentions andways of being for each year and
knowing that it doesn't have tohappen once a year, that it can
happen again and again everysingle day.
But if we want to lean into theenergy of this time of year,
it's a really good time forreflection and intention setting
.
So this is a really good timeto go inward, to do some deep
(03:45):
inner work and reflection and tofocus on that underground
growth.
So it's not like the I'm goingto achieve this and that and the
other.
It's getting deep in the rootsof setting in the work and the
stuff that happens that no onesees, that you don't get a pat
on the back for all the time.
It's doing those deepunderground things that set the
(04:06):
foundation, that make us strongso that we can grow in all kinds
of ways.
And the solstice is a reallygreat time to call in light.
When we talk about how we wantto celebrate the solstice,
working with light is somethingto think about.
So maybe you want to focus onsome of this reflection.
Maybe you want to practice thismeditation while you are
(04:29):
watching the sunrise or watchingthe sunset.
Maybe you want to practice by afire.
Maybe you even want to likehave a bonfire outside and
decorate your own yule log with,like a natural greens wrapped
around that log and writing yourintentions on it and setting it
into the fire.
Maybe it's just lighting somecandles and having some quiet
(04:50):
time to sit with your practice,to sit with yourself and go
inside.
So these are just a few waysyou can honor this shifting of
seasons and to connect with itwithin you.
I also just want to lean in hereand remind us that this is a
good time to slow down.
You might be hearing a lot ofrhetoric this time of year about
(05:13):
ending the year strong andhustling and doing all the
things.
However, you might want toconsider leaning into this
mindset of ending the yearfeeling rooted and rested and
ready to begin again.
So, as you're reflecting on theyear that is coming to a close
(05:39):
and we get ready to embark onthe year ahead, the solstice can
be a really good time to letyourself replenish and nourish,
so we can do this deep work andset the intentions for the ways
in which we wish to grow as wemove forward, as we continue to
move through this life.
So these are just some thingsto hold in mind, and now we're
(06:03):
going to practice together.
So, if you haven't already,find a space that feels safe and
supportive for you to practice.
You can practice seated, youcan practice lying down, you can
also practice on a walk, ifthat's what your body is calling
for.
Just find a space that feelssupportive for you and let's get
(06:25):
started.
And we're gonna begin today'smeditation by gradually shifting
our awareness away from what'shappening around us and drawing
the attention inward.
So we're gonna do that with thesenses.
So start by using your sense ofsight right now.
Use your sense of sight tonotice where you are, maybe note
(06:49):
like three or four thingsaround you right now, and then
you can gently rest your eyes orsoften your gaze and start to
bring your attention to sound.
(07:10):
Notice where your body makescontact with the earth, notice
where you feel the breath movingthrough the body, and take a
(07:37):
big breath in and a big breathout and start to get really
curious about the breath here.
Notice the inhale and the exhaleand then slowly begin to deepen
(08:04):
the breath here.
Take a long, slow, deep breathand then slowly begin to deepen
the breath here.
Take a long, slow inhale.
(08:26):
Take a long, slow inhale,exhale and pause.
Long, slow inhale, longer,slower, exhale and pause.
(09:01):
Continue to breathe in this wayby deepening the breath, we tap
into the parasympatheticnervous system, we communicate
(09:21):
to the body and the mind thatit's okay, you can relax, you're
safe here.
And then release any controlover the breath and just
(09:52):
surrender and trust the naturalrhythm and intuition of the
breath.
Know that the body simply knowshow to breathe here.
So surrender to that wisdom asthe breath flows in and out and
(10:22):
take a little mental inventoryhere.
Scan your body from head to toeand just notice how you feel.
Notice if there's any subtleadjustments you could make to
(10:47):
feel 5 to 10% more comfortablehere and honor that.
Embrace any movements that aregoing to help you feel more
supported here and then let thebody become still, let your
(11:18):
shoulders soft and down the backas you rest in knowing that you
are held by the earth beneathyou here, and then notice if
(11:44):
anything arises for you here.
Maybe there's like a pesteringthought that just won't go away,
or maybe there's like someemotional quality that you're
feeling or some part of the bodythat is really loud right now
(12:07):
and I want you to push it away.
I want you to lean into it in away that feels safe and just be
with it.
Let this being be an act ofreflection, maybe even bring a
(12:35):
hand to where in the body youfeel that sensation and let
yourself fully sit with, fullybe with what's here.
And I invite you to askyourself now what's something
(13:37):
you're proud of?
Shutting some light into thismoment, just take a moment to
(14:03):
really celebrate yourself here,to feel that sensation of pride,
feeling strong here, be proudof yourself for showing up for
this moment it's no small thingand then ask yourself what needs
(14:38):
attention in this moment andwhat needs attention in the
earhut.
You don't need to think aboutit too much, just notice what
(15:02):
comes to mind and then askyourself what are some
intentions that you have for theearhut?
(15:25):
What do you want for this nextyear?
How do you want to feel as youmove through your life?
And then see if you can weavein that thing that needs
(15:55):
attention to that intention.
So being willing to do the deepunderground work as a part of
our underground growth, reachingthese roots, getting the soil
(16:19):
ready to plant the seeds of ourintention.
And maybe come up with a word,like one to three words or maybe
a short phrase that encompassesthis attention and intention
(16:47):
that you want to carry with you,and bring hand to the heart and
(17:08):
repeat this intention threetimes in your mind.
Knowing this seed, knowing thatevery time you practice you're
(17:38):
watering it.
Let's take one more breathtogether, in through the nose
and out through the mouth, andyou can slowly open your eyes as
you return to this space.
Know that and return towardsyour roots.
(18:00):
We come together every week forthese mindful conversations and
meditations.
So coming together on thispodcast is a way you can bring
attention and intention intoyour life in a way in which you
can water this seed.
So we're here, we're doing thiswork as a community, so let's
(18:22):
just keep taking it one breathat a time.
Thank you so much for listeningto this podcast today.
I want to thank the people whomake it possible.
That's you, the listeners, andthat's the members of the Dream
Team.
So the Dream Team is a group ofincredible people who I adore,
(18:43):
who come together every month tosupport this podcast
financially and you can supportthis podcast for as little as
three dollars a month and thatsupport the operating costs and
the work that go into makingthis offering into the world.
So if you want to join theDream Team, there's a link in
the show notes to join.
Super simple Choose the amountthat's right for you and become
(19:05):
a part of this community thatwe're growing in ways that we
are cultivating this deep innerwork within ourselves and one
another.
And if you can't support thepodcast, find out more about the
Dream Team.
And if you can't support thepodcast financially at this time
, totally understand.
You can still make a big impactand support this podcast by
(19:27):
following, if you don't already,and sharing an episode that you
love with a friend.
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