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How to Create a Winter Solstice to Remember

By Carol McClelland

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Published: 20Dec2006
Word count: 708
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This week, as we approach the Winter Solstice and pass through it, is the darkest week of the year. Due to the sun's path, the days are as short as they will be all year and they nights are as long as they will be.

Many people bemoan the darkness. It affects them in ways that make them feel depressed, uncomfortable, and uneasy.

To me the darkness is rich with promise, hope, and potential. I love this time of year. I know the magic that can happen during this auspicious time.

The darkness is the path to the light. Although we can't discern it, the light is beginning to increase incrementally each day from that day forward. The solstice itself is the moment of conception for the new year of light.

This cycle of light exists. It's not something to complain about. We can't change it. Nor is it something we should change. Instead, the Solstice is something to honor and hold sacred.

Most of us, in our glittery, fast-paced world, don't know what to do with ourselves during this time of darkness that will naturally draw us inward if we let it. Instead..

We complain about the darkness.

We distract ourselves with busyness.

We overwhelm ourselves with to do lists.

We do whatever we can to keep from feeling the depths of our own being, our triumphs, and our foibles.

Our attempts to avoid our soul's voice at this time of year doesn't help us in the end. Without slowing down and listening, we are likely to miss the pure magic of the darkness that has the potential to transform our lives:

• The moments of pure insight when we discover a new way to think about and approach our life situation.

• The moments of discovery when we identify a new goal for the coming year.

• The moments of pure gratitude when we realize how far we've come in the last year.

These moments are the very answers we crave and search for most of the year. Give yourself the gift of magic by taking some time for yourself during the next two weeks.

Eight Steps to Create Your Own Winter Solstice Retreat

1. Set aside some time for yourself between now and January 1st. You might want to schedule two hours, a morning, afternoon or evening, or a full day. If you have a tight schedule, consider setting aside a period of time for a series of days for your retreat.

2. Create a safe space that will comfort and support you during your journey of reflection.

3. Choose the ambiance of your retreat. Decide what suits you best. Perhaps you are drawn to silence. You might want a soothing music. Or you might crave the energy and power of drumming. A combination of pieces may work as your move through the process.

4. Light a candle with the intention that the retreat will illuminate your future.

5. Let your mind wander through the months of the year. Make note of the ups and downs throughout the year. Record your memories in your journal.

6. Take some time to feel your gratitude for the high points you experienced and for what you gained from the low points in your year.

7. Look forward to next year. What are your hopes, dreams, and intentions? How do you want to feel in the new year? If you run into mental roadblocks or emotional fears, acknowledge them, jot them down, but don't let them keep you from developing your vision for the new year.

8. Synthesize what you've discovered. Review your journal entries from your Winter Solstice retreat. What excites you? What intrigues you? What gives you hope? While everything is fresh in your mind, draft a list of three to five actions you'll take next year to fulfill your vision.

As you think about whether to treat yourself to a Winter Solstice Retreat, don't worry about how you are going to answer the last few points. Each step in the process will open up new ideas and possibilities that you can't see right now.

It's the very act of trusting and stepping into the darkness of not knowing that allows new insights and ideas to come to you.

Carol McClelland, PhD, author of The Seasons of Change and Your Dream Career For Dummies, is a transition expert. She’s helped thousands of people get back on their feet after their lives have been turned upsidedown by natural disasters and personal losses, such as grief,illness, job change, relocation, and divorce. To receive your own copy of her Seasons of Change Workbook visit: http://www.transitiondynamics.com/seasons

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