Copyright © 2022 Lee Spirit

Winter Solstice time is here again, and it’s becoming one of my more reflective times of year – A great time for Winter Solstice practices that keep your heart warm! On December 21st, it’s the shortest day and longest night. What a perfect time to release what no longer serves you, and start setting your intentions for the coming year.

I enjoy this time for celebration more than a New Years resolution setting practice or party. Mainly because I follow nature’s way – The sun, the moon, the stars, the seasons, and spirits of nature. I love the wildlife I come across while in the mountains, and I pay attention to their messages.

On this particular day, it was a Crow that came to the summit to caw its protective blessings for me. I no longer want to follow a regular calendar year. I follow the gifts of nature that teach us so much. Once the 21st is over, we slowly return to the light, so it’s good to do some Winter Solstice practices that keep your heart and soul warm and lit up through the dark days before Spring.

Winter Solstice Practices That Heal the Soul

Since Winter Solstice is a time to go within ourselves and rest up after a playful Spring and Summer season, it becomes the ideal time to heal ourselves. You may not think you need healing, but we all do in some way! When we go within, we become more present, and pay attention to our inner truth. While we hide under the blankets to keep warm, we may discover the sorrows, emotions, pains, and discomfort that we feel that need to be felt and released. This must happen before we can come into our own light.

Winter Solstice practices like these ones can help you with the healing…Remember that change and transformation are all a part of life, so we must learn to surrender to it rather than resisting it, and to go with the flow.

Deep Breathing

Breath is life, and we often take it for granted, not even realizing we’re doing it or how much it supports us through our entire lifetime. When we sit in meditation, it’s easier to focus on our breath. In my Yin class, we lay on the floor and spend 20-40 minutes just learning about how we breathe, and changing that up a bit so we are more aware of it.

Some of us breathe in our chest area only; Others of us may breathe in our bellies. We can also breathe chest and belly, and direct our energy with our breath from chest to base of spine, and back up through the crown of the head.

There are many breathing exercises one can do to achieve stillness, presence, calmness, and clarity. For example, we can breathe normally without forcing anything. We may choose to take long, deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Another technique is to hold it at the top for several seconds before releasing. Once the air is all emptied out, we can hold the breath out. You may choose to do a breath of fire, or lion’s breath with tongue sticking out for immune system health.

Whatever technique you use, you become present to how you breathe. Then, you can better calm your nervous system, create a neutral space within you, and what is troubling you that needs to be healed suddenly rises to the surface. Winter Solstice practices like breathing are so important to your mind, body, and spirit health. This is the one practice you don’t want to neglect!

Dance, Dance, Dance

Some may choose to celebrate Solstice and the return of the light rather than being more reflective.

One way to increase your energetic vibration is to dance, shake it out, and let your body move in its natural rhythm. This is one way that I will be celebrating the Solstice, with ecstatic dance! This is a form of dance where you just let your body move to the beats of drums and rhythms, often with DJ sounds, like a trance dance.

It’s not dancing with others, but in the company of others who are also moving to their own rhythm. If that means standing still and taking in the sounds, then you do that. If it means jumping and flailing around, you do that. It can bring you into a state of ecstasy. I’m looking forward to moving my energy like this! It gets the stale, stuck energy out so that I can come into my divine being and radiate light and love!

Lighting Up the Darkness

Another great way to bring in more light is to burn some wood in the fire. Maybe you want to toss something into it that represents something you want to let go of. If you don’t have a fire, just simply light a candle, as I will be doing on Solstice eve! This will warm your heart, and the flame will be a reminder of your own inner light.

It’s also a good practice to light a candle to absorb negative energies in the air. Particularly effective at doing that are salt lamps and pink himalayan salt candle holders!

Singing and Chanting

Chanting and carolling around Solstice and Christmas is a perfect way to celebrate and raise your vibration. Singing merrily and chanting soft mantras is a beautiful way to lift the spirits, feel more vibrant and radiant, and to call on the return of the light! You may like to go to church to sing, or join a spiritual community.

I have had some precious and moving moments while chanting mantras, which is great for clearing the mind, settling the nerves, and feeling less tired or depressed, just to name a few. Many who chant often shed tears. This is a great way to heal, by moving stuck energy.

Winter Solstice Practices: Hibernation

Hibernation is not only for the bears! As we settle in the dark of winter, it’s our chance to recover from an active Spring and Summer. I know I overdid my adventures and socializing this Spring and Summer, trying to catch up with people after a couple of years of pandemic. It was a bit exhausting for me, and I’m still going crazy trying to do all the things! Why not catch up on your much needed sleep? This will help you replenish your energy so that you’ll be ready to go again when the light returns!

Reflection and Gratitude

As I previously mentioned, it’s a great time at Solstice to reflect on your past year, and all you’ve accomplished mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and otherwise. Also think of all the things you are grateful for because this will help you manifest what you want, rather than what you don’t want. We need to take time to reflect on our negative feelings and get those out of us initially. But then find the space within to attract all that goodness and creativity. What do you want to create in your life? Gratitude improves your manifestation of those things!

Have a Little Play Time Celebration With Friends & Family

Winter Solstice practices are so great for taking care of you! One of the best ways to take care of yourself is by surrounding yourself with positive people who support where you’re going and what you’re doing. The people who uplift you rather than tearing you down are who you want to hang out with.

Have some food and drinks, and have some good belly laughs until you cry. I know I did that at a party just yesterday! Laughed so hard I was in tears! All at my own silliness! It’s good to be with loving, kind souls whose energy you absorb. It makes you feel good all over, and then you have a full cup from which to pour your love outwards to others.

If you are looking for more ideas on how Winter Solstice practices can help you, click here for Winter Solstice Rituals That Will Improve Your Outlook. I hope these ideas have helped you embrace the energies of the Solstice and you will look forward to some good reflection, gratitude, heart warmth, and the return of the light!

Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. She helps those who suffer from anxiety & negative thinking to become healthier in mind-body-spirit. Her own personal journey has led her to the  study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. Get mindfulness, meditation, and personal development tips in her Free Natural Mind Healing Report.