2016 Has Been Rough, Here Are Ways To Feel Better
The winter solstice, also known as the shortest day and longest night in the year, occurred this Wednesday, December 21, when the East Coast will see only nine hours and 15 minutes of daylight. But don't bust out the electric blanket and make unbreakable plans with your Netflix acｃount just yet. This is actually a very spiritually significant day, according to nature-based faiths.
The winter solstice, sometimes celebrated as Yule in Pagan and Wiccan traditions, marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Even though it's one of the oldest holiday celebrations, the rituals around it have remained the same: Spend time with your family, observe the changes in nature, and reflect on what's happened in the past year (and what a year it's been).
Seeress and shaman Deborah Hanekamp of Mama Medicine tells Refinery29 that this is the time of year that "nature itself is inviting us to really accept ourselves, so we can grow and cleanse and prepare for personal growth." Think of the winter solstice as a chance to make a New Year's resolution without the (arguably self-imposed) high stakes of an actual New Year's resolution. You can even use it as an opportunity to perform an early cleansing ritual.
We spoke more with Hanekamp about the best ways to celebrate the solstice, even if you've never given it a try yourself. This year just might be the right time to start a personal solstice practice.
Take a break from booze.
We're in the midst of what Hanekamp calls "hangover season." If you've been hopping from holiday party to holiday party, this is a great time to abstain — even for just the one day: "If there’s any day of the month to just stay sober and stay clear within yourself, the winter solstice is the best day to do that."
Just like going offline, staying sober on the solstice can help you stay tuned into yourself. This will make reflection much easier.
Get together.
Gathering for a group meal is a ritual as old as time — and Hanekamp says it's become a stand-by for the cleansing opportunities it presents. Invite your loved ones into your home and encourage them to discuss any changes they experienced in the past year. "By sharing together in a group, a lot is cleared within the collective consciousness," she explains.
And, if you're all about seasonal decor, this is your time to shine. Ask your guests to bring something they find in nature, and use everyone's contributions to build an altar. Hanekamp recommends white pine in particular and adds that water should always appear somewhere in an altar.
Illuminate your "shadow self."
This is what your solstice celebration should build up to. Free of distractions and surrounded by friends and nature, you can now reflect on your whole self — even the parts that you keep hidden from others. Hanekamp calls those aspects of your personality your "shadow self."
"It’s the side of yourself you only show when you’re alone," she explains. Maybe you conceal a fear, desire, or source of shame from other people. No matter what dwells within your shadow self, bring it to light by journaling or opening up to your loved ones.
Only when you consider yourself without judgment will you know how to prepare for the coming season — and year. Hanekamp says to ask yourself, "What are you ready to let go of and leave behind, to essentially let die or leave in the dark? Are there parts of your hidden self that need to be given a voice?" These are the kinds of questions that can lead to truly positive changes in your life.
If you spend this day seeking warmth from your loved ones and light from nature, you will illuminate — and, ultimately, accept — the whole person you've become since the last winter solstice.
Article Source: http://www.msn.com/en-ph/lifestyle/wellness/2016-has-been-rough-here-are-5-ways-to-feel-better/ss-BBxn1Kc?li=BBr8OIZ&ocid=iehp#image=1
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VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Shaman (n.) ~ a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits, especially among some peoples of northern Asia and North America
2. Midst (prep.) ~ in the middle of
3. Dwell (v.) ~ think, speak, or write at length about (a particular subject, especially one that is a source of unhappiness, anxiety, or dissatisfaction)
4. Self-imposed (adj.) ~ (of a task or circumstance) imposed on oneself, not by an external force
5. Abstain (v.) ~ restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What is winter solstice?
2. According to the article, this time of the year is the best time to change ourselves. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
3. What are the actvities that you think you should do more or do less? Discuss them.
