Today on the auspicious day of the Winter Solstice, I thought I’d share a little excerpt from my book, Your Spacious & Seasonal Year + plus the recipe idea featured in that chapter. And I’ll come back in a couple of weeks at the start of the year to share some of the reflection questions & ritual ideas from that chapter as well. I hope you enjoy and wishing you a restorative winter season. <3
Chapter 1 – Winter Solstice, December 22nd
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” ~ John Steinbeck
Before working with the seasons, I always resisted Winter… you too? Being from the Midwest originally, (I just migrated back after 18 years in Cali!) I dreaded the cold, ice, and constant dreary days…
But, now I welcome the darkness. And, the truth is that during this insular time of year, our human bodies and minds NEED to hibernate, restore our reserves, and take in ample nourishment from Mama Earth – although many of our modern holiday traditions resist these actions.
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. And, while the darkness will still reign for a few more months, this day officially marks the coming of the light – as after today the days will gradually grow longer in length.
By this point of the year, most deciduous trees in the northern hemisphere have shed their leaves, allowing them to expend less energy and take in more nutrients from the Earth during this time.
Just like our tree allies, this is an optimal moment to nourish ourselves – but only if we give ourselves permission to slow down enough to reap the benefits.
This is also a potent time to reflect on the past year, and to acknowledge all the transformation, blessings, and gifts that have been occurring in our lives, and is a ripe moment for dreaming, visioning, and setting intentions for the coming year ahead.
Featured Winter Recipe: Wassail
The word ‘wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase ‘waes hael’, which means ‘good health’ in Old English. Folks would make wassail from ale, wine, or juice with warming spices such as clove, cinnamon and star anise. It was drunk as part of the act of wassailing – an ancient ritual that included singing from door to door to spread wishes of good health and cheer – and is where our modern version of caroling derived from.
There were also wassailing rituals performed in apple orchards – singing and thanking the trees for their production, and to promote a good harvest for the coming year.
For the past 5 or so years, I’ve served the wassail beverage to my retreat and circle participants in the Autumn & Winter seasons, and it’s such a hit as it’s absolutely delicious and fills one’s space with the most incredible aromas!
Ingredients:
- 8 cups organic apple cider or juice
- 2 apples
- 2 oranges
- 8 whole cloves
- 4 star anise
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- Lemon, honey or fresh ginger to taste
Directions:
- Slice the oranges and apples lengthwise into quarter inch slices, to reveal the 5 pointed star in the center of the apple and the pretty sections of the orange.
- Add the slices and all of the ingredients to a large pot over medium low heat.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- Ladle into mugs (feel free to strain if you’d like, but I love having an apple and orange in my mug!) and enjoy. :)
All right, dear one! I hope you enjoyed this segment of the book, and happy solstice! ❤️
Ps, if you haven’t already, you can pre-order a copy of this beautiful hardcover book HERE. Books will be delivered in January. :)
