Yule or Winter Solstice has always been a powerful portal, throughout time. There are numerous prehistoric sites around the world, aligned to the Solstice sunrise, e.g. Stonehenge in the UK, Newgrange in Ireland, Karnak Temple in Egypt, Chaco Canyon, USA.

Solstice means “the sun stands still”. On December 20 or 21, the sun is at its lowest arc across the sky, and for 3 days, the sun rises from the same point, decrying the same arc. Hence the “stand still”. In the depth of Winter, as the long nights stretch, it is a momentous celebration to see the sun “reborn”, as it starts to move from the lowest point towards the Summer Solstice. We will have life and Spring again, for without the sun warming our planet, we cannot survive.

This time of Winter is the time of the Cailleach, the Hag. She is Stone Woman, Bone Woman, Bird Woman, from beyond death, from the Otherworld. She guides us in our visions and dreams – the stillness of Dreamtime is Hers. Here we rest with Her until Imbolc, (end January, early February) when we start to feel the quickening of life within and under the frozen earth.

In this time of the Pandemic, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of rest and stillness within. 2020 brought so many challenges and so much of what we thought was the “norm” came tumbling down. How great is it the that the Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter has moved from an Earth sign into Aquarius, the Air sign that looks at the big picture for the good of all. Amazing that this happened on this Solstice. Talk about portals opening up… this was and is a big one.

We have an opportunity to break away from structures that have been in place – Saturn is very big on structure, form, rules, order – which really no longer serve, to creating a new paradigm that works with what is, now. The beauty of Air is how light and fast moving and non-conforming it is. It can’t be corralled into a delineated space like dense matter, a thing. It flows and moves. We know this from the airborne nature of COVID 19. We know this from love that can be shared and felt beyond time zones and national boundaries. The air we breathe in has been breathed by other beings. The air we breathe out comes from deeply within us and will be consumed by another being. It is a continuous exchange of life energy that rides on the breath. Pneuma, Prana, Chi…

The vibratory field of our atmosphere, of our air, is shifted by the Return of the Sun, at Solstice. The field is also influenced by the Great Conjunction in the sky, by how these powerful planets dance in the light of the Sun. All in all, we have no idea where we are heading. None. But THIS year, let’s work on NOT CONTROLLING THE OUTCOME. That is such an earth element maneuver. Now is the time to let go of control and open to infinite potential. That means the Unknown. That MEANS we have no idea how anything is going to go.

Yes, it’s scary to not know. But aren’t you a bit fed up of repeating the same old same old? Isn’t it time we really went for that leap across the chasm because band-aid type measures are, well, not going to work, frankly. We HAVE TO shift the way we see, understand, feel, speak, formulate, enact, envision, dream. The way we are going is so untenable and unsustainable, it really doesn’t take much to see that we need to completely reimagine what it is to be human and be a part of the ecological system of this planet Earth.

That’s the big picture. But the big picture is made up of lots and lots of little pictures. Each one of us, each individual unit of the human compound, has to start to initiate this shift in how we see, understand, interact with, receive, formulate, envision and act out life. The “What about me?” has to be stopped in its tracks with “I am love, this is what I’ve learned and how can I help?”. A huge consciousness revolution. Questioning and stepping away from our definitions of what might even be sacrosanct.

This means, perhaps, that we really start to respect and value deeply our capacity to be curious. Staying curious so that instead of deciding on something one way or the other, we let things be fluid. When one is rested and relaxed, one has a better chance of being curious. Our energy field is wider, sensing the world around us with more aliveness and interest. It’s about practicing softness. Soft joints, soft skin, soft breath, soft gaze. Softening into the world, into Her wide embrace. Trusting. Yes, this is a hard one. Trusting. But hey, why not give it a spin in this new paradigm of softness? And at the core is a simple, unconditional acceptance of oneself.

Not so simple. But it can be. Try it. Accepting yourself as you are, right this minute. No conditions attached. Liking yourself. Loving yourself. Sure you might want to make some changes but that’s like interior decorating, and you can enjoy that. The core of who you are, your soul, your unique being. See if you can let that being rest in the power and love of Goddess. Let Her show you what it truly feels like to be Unconditionally accepted and loved as you are. Afterall, many of us have a lot more time this winter without the usual festivities.

Let the Cailleach take you on Her journey into the Unknown and help you release what is truly no longer. She takes us down to the bone, to the stone. In the space of no-thing, we simply surrender to Her. The visions and dreams She sends us. Stay in the formless for a while. Let Her surprise you.