Shedding light on our darkest times

A short practice to celebrate the solstice and the returning of the light by first honouring the dark times we have endured

Photo by BBC Creative on Unsplash

If I may be so bold as to speak on behalf of us as a collective, I think it’s fair to say that this year hasn’t been the easiest. This may not be true for you of course, you may have had a wonderful year, or this could be an enormous understatement.

In my almost-thirty-three years of doing life, 2023 has probably been one of my toughest years yet and I know of so many others who have found this year incredibly challenging.

Side note: 2023 was a Chariot year and this card is closely linked to The Tower… so yea. This is why, collectively, this year may have felt a struggle. More to come on this in a future post.

As we are (very swiftly!) approaching the climax of the year, in the Northern Hemisphere we are first greeted with the Winter solstice; a time when the shortest day passes by, with the light beginning to ever-so-slowly edge its way back in to those all-consuming nights. I have never felt particularly called to honour this event before but this year is different. Perhaps because 2023 has pushed me to the depths of grief and heartache, the darkness of Winter seems less… frightening?

This year I want to look darkness in the face and say, “thank you”.

If you are also feeling called to celebrate Yule, the Winter solstice or the ‘turn of the year’ and to welcome the return of the light, I first implore you to honour the darkness and recognise just how far you’ve come. Like me, you may have been pushed to your edges this year but, not only have you made it through your darkest days, I know you have also grown, learnt and developed as a result.

If finding blessings within the tough times is difficult, the solstice is the perfect opportunity to take a moment to honour your journey and here is a short ritual to help you do so…

[Read this paragraph first then close your eyes] Using your internal vision, look back and reflect on the months past. What have been the darkest, most difficult, challenging, overbearing moments for you this year? You may feel this viscerally in your body, I know I do whilst writing this. Try not to resist the feelings that arise, it’s all welcome here. And if you don’t feel like going into this too deeply, that is also fine; we don’t always need to delve too far. Feel free to write this down instead, if that is easier.

Then open your eyes and, whilst shuffling, ask your cards; What has the darkness given me? What have I learnt and how have I grown because of this experience? What gifts have the hardships brought me? Journal on what comes up for you.

By coming from a place of reverence for the challenges and tribulations we have faced, we can begin to bring a sense of lightness, and even gratitude, for what we have overcome. We can start to see the darkness as a blessing, as we may not be where we are, or where we’re going, without it. Because without darkness, there is no light.

Close the practice by saying to yourself; I honour the dark. I welcome the light. You could also now light a candle to signify the light being ever-present in your life, despite the hardships.

And don’t forget to comment if you tried this ritual; I always love to hear what resonates.

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*This practice is not intended as a replacement for therapy or professional guidance. If you have been through a particularly traumatic time, I suggest seeking support from a trained professional rather than delving into this work alone.