The Ritual Master It’s December 21st and all across the globe, many different cultures celebrate through ancient traditions this special day. We have come to know its scientific significance much better than its ancient symbols, so why not take the opportunity to connect to a higher source of energy this year, on what we call the longest night of the year.
Today, as we begin lengthening our days once more, we celebrate the birth of the sun. This inspired me to make a natural mandala centerpiece, to decorate my table for the holidays. To many ancient people, holiday evergreens symbolized everlasting life because they stayed green and alive when other plants appeared brown and dead. The crisp colors were a constant reminder that spring was coming. It is the pagan root of our Christmas tree, and an element to be found in many seasonal decorations over the winter. Since longing for nature is a natural feeling this time of year, decorating with natural elements seems like the best way to keep ourselves grounded until the Sun regains all its strength. So with my evergreen bits and pieces, pine cones and walnuts, winter berries and cinnamon sticks, I am making a natural mandala to balance the energy of the home.
And since we’re talking of energy, I wanted to share my favorite gemstone for this time of year. The dendritic agate, sometimes called tree agate, has tree or fern-like inclusions of iron or manganese that give its unique appearance. It is a stone that vibrates to a slower frequency, therefore it is more grounding and helps us keep in touch with nature. I like to wear it as a bracelet so that my pulse is always in contact with the stones. I feel it gives me a profound calmness, unaltered by the mood swings at the surface.
Roasting chestnuts is another favorite solstice ritual. Just like root vegetables and winter squashes, chestnuts seem to be a symbol of the nourishment nature provides in all seasons, and the slow process of snacking on them is quite meditative. If you are lucky enough to have a real fireplace, it is most definitely the place to be tonight. But for the city refugees in modern apartments, I have a tip : try using a candle with a wooden wick. The most famous of all, with a patented system is WoodWick. But I have found other brands as well that use a similar system. The wick makes a delicate crackling sound that reminds you of a real fireplace, and the scent is an added bonus.
The Chinese solstice is deeply rooted in the philosophy of Yin and Yang. On the longest night of the year, Yin, having achieved its maximum, takes a break before making room for the spark of Yang. This moment of pause is called the Sacred Silence. For such a subtle shift in energy, I’ll offer myself the gift of wise words, and dive into François Cheng’s Five meditations on beauty. Born in China in 1929, François Cheng has been living in France since 1949. He is a poet, a calligrapher, translator of Chinese poetry in French and of French poetry in Chinese. Author of extraordinary essays on Chinese literature and painting, he was elected a member of the French Academy in 2002. His unique blend of a Chinese feeling expressed in a French sentence is in my humble linguist opinion, a true gift. And an appropriate one for me tonight.
I hope I’ve inspired some winter reflection for your evening.
Remember that your energy is always in tune with the energy of the Earth.
Observe, adjust, rejoice in your uniqueness.
Good night !
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