The Winter Solstice is one of my favorite holidays—not just because I love winter so much, but because I feel hopeful. The Sun shows us that you can shine even at your weakest point in life, and your growth potential is constantly renewed. Life can beat you down into darkness, but you always have a chance to rise and not just regain what you may have lost but to grow beyond your expectations!
What opportunities did you miss this year? Stop punishing yourself with “should have, “could have, “and “would have,” and embrace the potential for the new start the Solstice offers. But here is the catch – you must let go of that focus on loss and disappointment; otherwise, there is no room for something new to grow. I know – it’s easier said than done!
This ceremony I am about to share with you came to me this morning when I was feeling pessimistic about the craptastic business year many of us small businesses have had. I went outside to let my dogs out, in my PJs, ready to scream after one more sleepless night. As dogs ran all around me – and barked their heads off with excitement (making my headache feel even worse – as if that was possible), I looked up to the sky, and it was almost as if the Sun was saying, “I feel you – we all want to disappear!”
I looked up and thought, “yeah, but you will get stronger in January, you bastard!” And the answer in my head was almost immediate – “and so can you – if you choose to.” If you choose to – words often said to me by my teacher, and although they aggravate me to no end, they seem to keep popping up more and more and making me realize that I, too, can choose a different path!
And just like that, Boom! Ceremony born!
Rise with the Sun Ceremony for the Winter Solstice
For this ceremony, you will need the following:
- 6 White candles (I plan to use tea lights)
- Sabbat Candle – I generally prefer Yellow for Yule
- Yule Incense
- Yule Oil
- Pen and 6 pieces of small paper (that will fit inside the tea light)
This ceremony will start when the sun rises after the year’s longest night. So, if you are doing this ritual in 2024 (the Winter Solstice is 12/21 at 4:19 AM), you will want to begin at sunrise (7:30 AM EST) on December 22nd. Be sure to check what time sunrise is for you where you are. To figure out the longest night, I looked at sunrise and sundown for the 3 days around the Solstice, so if you do this in a different year, you can figure out for yourself when the longest night is.
- Be sure to begin early enough to light your first candle, as the Sun rises at 7:30 AM. This ceremony is best done outside—be sure to bundle up!
- Create sacred space using your favorite method. Charge your Sabbat candle with the energy to honor the Sabbat.
- Think of things you want to embrace for the new Sun cycle for each tea light. Charge and anoint each candle with that energy, and on each piece of paper, write one word that summarizes the opportunities you want. If you use loose incense, sprinkle it on each tea light. (TIP: I generally try to ask for things I have some control over. For example, “I want to be better at expressing my needs to my partner” instead of “I want my partner to be nicer to me”)
- I like to arrange the candles in a semicircle, but you can arrange them. Be sure to time your ceremony so you light the first candle at Sunrise—right at 7:30 AM. As you look to the horizon, visualize the Sun bringing that opportunity to you—as it rises, so does this opportunity. Bring forth your intent and tie it to the rising Sun! Focus on that for about 2-3 minutes.
- Move on to the next candle and repeat the process. As you light up each goal, focus on the rising Sun and feel the energy of the Sun bringing you those new opportunities!
- Once finished, you can stay with your candles for a few minutes, release your circle, and go inside.
- Be sure to let your candles burn all the way down—keep an eye on them until they are done burning! We do not want to start a fire!
