As we plunge into darkness on the year’s longest night, there follows a long tradition of honouring the Winter Solstice with rituals and celebrations. After the lengthy darkness comes longer days and shorter nights, and many cultures choose this night to give gratitude for the year passed, the challenges overcome and a transition from darkness to light. The triumph of light over darkness is echoed throughout almost all legendary stories and special festivals at different times of year, like Diwali, biblical texts and observances associating God and Jesus with light, the Tazaungdaing Festival in Burma, and the Pagan celebration of Yule in late December.
A Winter Solstice Practice
There are many ways to honour this long night of darkness, including lighting candles, gathering to feast, decorating the home with herbs and plants, and showing family and friends love and appreciation. As well as expressing love for others and creating external celebrations, its important at this time of year to focus on self-care too, so try this ritual yoga practice to celebrate your own journey from darkness to light:
1. Set the Scene
Begin by lighting candles and burning oils of frankincense, lavender and myrrh oil, each representing purity and truth, harmony and with important calming and rejuvenating properties.
2. Choose Your Intention
Next, set an intention to let go of something that no longer serves you, something that has felt like your own personal ‘darkness’ this year. At the same time, set an intention to allow light into your life. This could manifest in the form of practicing positive self-talk, some dedicated you-time, a promise to connect with your local community, or more time spent in nature. Choose something that you know will bring joy to your life. Using objects to represent the darkness and the light can make the practice even more powerful. Perhaps find a special crystal or stone to represent your ‘light’, and a leaf you can throw back to the earth to represent your ‘darkness’.
As you set your intention, repeat the affirmation: “I let go of the darkness. I let in the light”.
3. The Physical Practice
Move through a gentle yoga practice of sun salutations, strengthening core postures, and soothing restorative asanas.
4. Trataka Meditation
Follow your physical practice with a trataka meditation: Sit in front of one of your candles. Close the eyes, and re-open them after a few moments, gazing at the centre of the candle flame, just above the wick. Try to keep the eyes steady without blinking. Gaze for as long as possible without straining the eyes, and then close them when you need to. With the eyes closed, turn the gaze up to the centre of the eyebrows and try to keep the image of the flame in your awareness for as long as possible, focusing upon it and studying any colours that may appear. When the image eventually disappears, repeat the process, continuing for 5-10 minutes. The flame of the candle represents your inner flame and truth, also known as the atman or soul.
5. The Asato Ma Mantra
To complete your Winter Solstice ritual practice, chant the Asato Ma mantra, a powerful mantra from the Upanishads, representing moving from darkness to light:
“asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrtyorma amrtam gamaya
om shanti shanti shanti”.
Lead me from illusion to truth
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality
Om Peace Peace Peace.
(Brhadaranyaka Upanishad — I.iii.28)