Hello to my return journeyers. A warm welcome to my semi-constant journeyers. And, a very special welcome to my new journeyers.

I am so glad you’re here.

If you’re listening to this in real-time and live in the Northern Hemisphere, we have just passed the Winter Solstice on December 21 and through Christmas.

Winter Solstice is a sacred time when, for three days, it appears to the naked eye that the sun stands still. This is the moment between the exhale (death) — pause(gestation/possibility/potential) — and the inhale (life). Every moment from now until the Summer Solstice brings the return of the light. 

This time of the year, around Winter Solstice through to the end of Yule and into the New Year, is ruled by The Crone. She is the third face of the Goddess — Maiden, Mother, Crone. The Crone is known by so many names: Lady Death, Grandmother, Wise Woman. She brings us wisdom, deep knowing, and remembrance of the relationship between life, death, and rebirth. She is the ultimate expression of the divine feminine, and her wisdom comes through at times as bitter as the cold depths of winter and as soft as freshly fallen snow. She is magic and mystery. 

Yule is an adaptation of the Norse word Yul, which means reborn. Indeed, this time is reflected in cross-cultural ceremonies honouring this time of year with fires, feasts, and rituals to recognize the relationship between the quiet shift into Winter (death) as a gestational place between Spring (rebirth).

Many of you partake in aspects of ceremony such as bringing a tree (the symbol of life/world tree) into your home to remind you during this time that seems lifeless that life is indeed right here in your home. 

Early on in my relationship with Kriket, she spoke of this time as the Dreamtime. In late winter, she told me she would gather up her patients' hopes, wishes, and dreams and plant them in sacred soil in preparation for the next birth and growing season. 

I have shared this ceremony with a few of my long-time journeyers for their own healing. 

Some of you listening may feel as though you have been in this place of darkness for far longer than a season or two. It is important to remember that our personal wheel or evolution spins at times in sync with our natural world and at other times not so much. If you’ve found yourself at this season feeling the pull to turn inward, I encourage you to follow this. This season is often dressed up with frenetic energy and excess to distract each of us from turning inward toward shadow and engage in deep introspection. 

I invite you to use the drumming track that I have gifted at theshamanspath.ca to journey to The Crone and ask her your own deep questions.

If you find yourself listening to this blog post rather than reading it in a quiet time and space (and not operating a vehicle), allow me to guide you through a meditation by clicking the play button on the Crone Guided Meditation below.

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As always, thank you for your kind attention.  

Until we meet again in this time, this place, this space, happy journeying.

-Heather

Press the play button below to listen to an audio version of this post:

If you feel called to explore the magic of the Winter Solstice further, you may also use the Crone guided meditation below: