Winter Solstice
Tune into your intuition
Season: Autumn
Element: Metal
Moon: Quarter
Zodiac: Pisces
Happy Tuesday!
Today is a quarter moon in intuitive Pisces and winter solstice is coming up on Thursday, December 21st, at 10:27pm. Winter solstice is the longest night and shortest day of the year in terms of daylight. Historically, it was the time of year to celebrate the end of the harvest season and to usher in a time of rest and rejuvenation through the winter months. It also corresponds with the Yule, the winter festival historically observed by Germanic peoples, which begins on winter solstice and ends on January 1st.
As we head into winter starting with this darkest day, slow down and tune into your intuition. Per Sarah Jenks, “in the spirit of Yule, we welcome the return of light and kindle the flame of hope within our hearts. Take a moment to honor the wisdom of nature and tap into the wisdom of her cycles. Cultivate inner stillness, allowing yourself to be held in the embrace of darkness. Nourish the flame of your dreams and aspirations, setting intentions for the year ahead. And above all, celebrate the gift of community, extending love and gratitude to those around you.”
The above recommendations encourages me to light candles, make a fire, take a walk in nature, gather pinecones and pine branches to decorate and to make crafts, wrap up in cozy blankets, sip hot beverages with warming spices, fill my home with the smells of the season, take a nap, be still, practice noble silence, and journal on the year coming to an end and the new year to come.
Note: Rest curations, products, and recordings are still in the works, but I am leaving the paid subscriber Rest Readings, Rest Recipes, and Rest Rituals on the newsletter for a month or so. If you want to contribute, consider becoming a paid subscriber through Substack:
REST READING
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Simple Matters by Erin Boyle
Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme
How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong
Permission to Rest by Ashley Neese
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg
The Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hahn
Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Saving Time by Jenny Odell
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer by Dan Buettner
The Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener
Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor
Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body by Jodi Cohen
In Praise of Wasting Time by Alan Lightman
The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
REST RECIPE
As I mentioned above, I plan to fill my home with the smells of the season and what better way to do it than a simmer pot. A simmer pot is a pot of fresh ingredients and liquid that give off a delightful aroma that fills a space or home. It is an inexpensive and natural way to scent the air. I found a marvelous video on Haley Post’s My Moonstone Kitchen for a Winter Solstice Simmer Pot that is beautiful and informative:
*Oranges peels embody yang energy. The peel has the power to clear a space.
REST RITUAL
Connect deeper to the season by understanding the meanings of the holiday colors all around. Why are these color important and why have they been incorporated into this time of year? Let’s explore to help bring a little color therapy into your daily life.
Red is for prosperity and love, green is for growth and abundance, white is for clarity and light, and gold represents the sun and how its light will return. These color meanings correspond with those of feng shui and look to integrate them into your home and wardrobe as needed.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope this has been enjoyable. May your weekend be relaxing.
Below are the upcoming 2024 Cascade Rest Curations:
Energy Release Curation
Date: Sunday, January 7, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: 90 minute energy release and rest curation in community with like-minded people.
Cost: $26.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Feng Shui Curation
Date: Sunday, January 28, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the key feng shui concepts of chi, yin yang, the five elements, the creative and destructive cycles, and the bagua map.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Tea Ceremony Curation
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the ritual of tea making and pouring, the benefits of herbal teas, the attributes of the water element, and what you can expect from the year of the wood dragon.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, March 10, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Spring Equinox Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Sunday, March 24, 2024
Time: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Spring and yin themed menu presented as a cooking demonstration to learn and feast on with a rest event after.
Cost: Price Pending
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, April 14, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Wood Element Curation
Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the depths of the wood element and how to integrate its attributes into your home and your life.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Sound Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Join Kara Markovich for a sound immersion, various instruments such as singing bowls, crystal bowls, gongs and various other instruments, fill the space, allowing you to move into a state of deep relaxation.
Cost: $50.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, June 9, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Summer Solstice Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Saturday, June 23, 2024
Time: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Pending
Description: Summer themed catered meal emphasizing the balance of yin and yang with a rest event after.
Cost: Price Pending
Please note that I am still working on coordinating the curations marked as SAVE THE DATE. I will update these as details progress in future Substack posts.
And if you are interested in my feng shui services, please see my website at www.cascadefengshui.com and contact me at abby@cascadefengshui.com. I’m also on Instagram at cascade.feng.shui.