The longest night of the year holds depth unlike any other time of the year.
As many witches will agree, the Winter Solstice isn't just a festival to be celebrated, it's a spiritual portal. It is a time of low energy, naturally calling us home within ourselves, looking for warmth and light wherever we can find it--in the glow of a candle, the steam of a mug, or the presence of those we love.
In a society that rewards constant hustle and relentless optimization, we often forget a fundamental truth: rest is not a luxury, it is the fuel for our fire. We don't go to sleep on Samhain and wake up transformed on Yule. Seasons don't change overnight, and neither do we. We are rhythmic beings, and right now, the rhythm of the Earth is asking us to slow down.
Just as nature rests in winter, we are invited to take a page from her book. To the untrained eye, the winter landscape looks dead and colorless, but as any earth-tender knows, there is something vital stirring beneath the surface.
Deep underground, a hidden world is at work. Plants are pulling their energy into their roots, storing every bit of sun-gold they gathered in the summer. Microbes remain active in the slow, steady hum of survival. The soil acts as a thick, insulating blanket, protecting the vulnerable life below from the biting air.
There is a whole world unseen, preparing for the eventual thaw. If the earth didn't have this period of frozen silence, the riotous growth of spring would be impossible. We are no different. In our own slowness and comfort, we find peace. In our own stillness and quiet, we find our answers.
I like to view the Winter Solstice as a portal--a thin place in time where we step from one energy into another. It is what us woo woo witches are always referring to as the "Dark Half" of the year, providing a space for deep, quiet contemplation.
When we allow ourselves to truly enter the darkness, we invite revelations. These moments of clarity help us see what we are still clutching that no longer serves our growth. By identifying what is dead in our own inner soil, we clear the space necessary for something new to take root.
The long night teaches us the value of our inner light. It encourages us to look inward and discover the hope that resides within, independent of the external world. As the wheel turns to Yule, we witness the darkness birthing the light, and with it a renewed fire--a flame that will light our path for the entire year to come.
As we move through this Yule season, give yourself permission to pause and indulge in the low energy of the season.
Solstice blessings and merry everything!
-Kendra
Low Energy Yule Rituals
- Light a candle at sunset to welcome the return of the Sun.
- Hang a piece of evergreen indoors to celebrate life's triumph over death.
- At sunrise, write something you wish to expand/call in. At sunset write what you wish to release.
- Make a solstice simmer pot using oranges, cloves, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, or whatever you have on hand that aligns with the season
- Put the phone down. Seriously. If you can't do anything else, do at least an hour free of screen time. Start that puzzle. Finish the book. Write down literally ANYTHING in your journal. Give yourself permission to indulge in an hour free of unnecessary chatter and doom scrolling.
