Today is the winter Solstice in the north hemisphere, the shortest daylight and longest night of the year! Many cultures have celebrated this day with different traditions and rituals. One that I recently learned about it, is the Yule’s ritual of lightening a tree, which has been adopted as part of the Christmas traditions. For centuries, different traditions have celebrated this day as a moment of rebirthing of the light, as from today on, the days start to become longer and longer, and the nights shorter, until we reach the Summer Solstice where this process starts to be reversed. Because most of these celebrations were Pagans, they have been banned and substitute with new traditions. I believe there is a lot of wisdom to be explored in the ancient celebrations, as they used to be more connected and synchronized with nature. During the Solstice, because the night is the longest of the year, it is the moment to be quiet and silent, to be self-reflective, to observe and meditate. It is also the moment for us to honor our darkness and shadows, as they are part of our divine wholeness, but also to put our intentions to allow our shadows to be reborn into something new and bright. It is literally the time where a new cycle of light starts. I wish all a Mindful and Heart-full Winter Solstice! 📷photo by my beloved @fotosbyboca #wintersolstice #light #darkness #shadow #lightanddarkness #ekapadarajakapotasana #backbend #yogaisequanimity #mayallbeingsbefree #luanafarayoga (at Balance Yoga Studio)
