At this moment of the year, we are surrounded by a particular cultural atmosphere that opens a space to reflect on the traditions we are immersed in, the ones we follow and share with our family and friends, and how we feel about them.
We all have different approaches to traditions; the way we were raised, the education we received, our experiences, the constructions we create around the sense of our being and others influence the way we develop our vision of life.
When I was a child, my family was everything but conventional, and the relation with the cultural conventions and traditions was not an exception. My mother says that she is an eclectic spirit, which has taken her to explore with curiosity and aperture different perspectives and approaches, taking of each one the aspects that resonate with her. This model gave my siblings and me an invitation to explore and be open to different frames.
One December my mom had the idea to start celebrating the solstice as a welcome for the spirits of the season. With the passing of the years, this celebration grew; we constructed little by little our tradition and added a special meaning to this day. Suddenly each 21st December we met, ate together, lit candles, aromatized the atmosphere with tangerine essence, and dedicated some time to connect with ourselves, the year we left behind, and the intentions we wanted to work on the upcoming year.
We took a piece of paper, decorated it, and wrote all that we were grateful for in the past year, then in another paper, we wrote the intentions we had for the next year. After that, we folded the papers and kept them safe until the next Solstice when we met together again and read it to reflect and review what we experienced during the year.
In the present, some of us are living in different countries, and we are not able to celebrate physically together as before. However, each one of us keeps a part of this tradition and has added personal touch. For example, for me having flowers to decorate my space delivers me a special feeling of wonder and gratitude for the expressions of life, which I love to connect with. Similarly, I like to write not only intentions for me, but for the common well, I can reach with my actions. And depending on the intentions, I also like to add some concrete actions I can do to get closer to them.
Definitively, there are so many points of view as persons; with this plethora of perspectives, interpretations, and ways of relating to the world, it is beautiful to stop for a moment and connect with that unique power that makes you an architect of your reality. Furthermore, Solstices and Equinoxes are events that allow us to connect and synchronize with the cycles of the planet, to choose a point to check-in with ourselves, to see behind, honor the path and prepare ourselves to keep moving forward.
If you feel curious and want to try something new this season, I let you this Solstice Ritual Guide to download. Please feel free to customize your ritual and, if you wish, share your experience leaving a comment below or on social media using the hashtag #solsticewiththeia.
May the balance and the flow be with you ❤
Solstice's Guide to the Galaxy
An approach by Theia Amulette