This is an invitation to Slow Down & Reset!
Winter Solstice is nearing and with that the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. Sadly, for most, this does not mean more sleep, fewer commitments, less work or even lower bills. Longer nights and shorter day light might mean that we leave for work or school in the dark only to return home under that same dark sky. Life can start to feel a bit like Groundhog’s Day with the wash/rinse/repeat routine going strong in spite of your urge to go back into your den and not come out until the darkness (and all that comes with it) marches on to Spring!
Even the extroverted folks feel the tug of winter and the pull to slow and with that; conflict. And the introverts? Well, they are in downright, hog-heaven. The “reason for the season” lost on some, as they dodge invites to yet another White Elephant party or an Ugly Sweater soiree. And then there are the few that embrace all that the season has to offer; donning felt antlers, all things pumpkin spiced while making a list and checking it twice! Most of us fall somewhere in the middle but the tug-of-war with time, light and energy is an ever present threat to our health and well-being, affecting us all.
That gentle (but relentless) tug at 6:15 pm to retire for the remainder of the day is hard to ignore. Darkness has spoken and every cell in our body is listening. Calling us to move inward. In from the cold and inward from the external.
We must ask ourselves: What would our ancestors do? Stripping away this modern world and its round-the-clock light, 24/7 stream of media distraction and 365-shelf-stable calories, does not require a time machine. Nor does it necessitate a big red button reset or a reincarnation as someone’s beloved cat. The HERE and NOW is where we start. Simple, and yet powerful, rituals that can help us surrender to the metronome of the dark and the pulse of Mother Nature Rhythm.
Solstice Musing by, Tadimdia Bridges – Rising Fire’s Resident Writer
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