I’m challenging myself to 12 days of writing, in honour of the 12 nights of Yule. I prefer to celebrate the older, pagan holidays in December (and throughout the whole year frankly). And today is the first night of the 12 nights of Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice.
The themes of Mother’s Night are fertile darkness, stillness, mystery and rest. Some traditions connected to this night are lighting candles and honouring mother Goddesses. Another fun activity is to write down 13 intentions and then burn one each day until New Year’s Day. The last one is the intention you should focus on for the new year. I’ve done that just now. Very curious which one will be left at the end…
As for the themes of Mother’s Night, I feel very connected to them at the moment. There’s something magical about the winter. Even though my body is becoming less and less resistent to the cold, I can still feel the magic of winter, especially now, during the darkest days of the year. This evening I was cycling home and I felt a sense of freedom in that darkness. People cannot really see you, and I love that. To be out in public feels more anonymous. I don’t feel stared at, I don’t feel the obligation to smile at strangers. I don’t feel the need to look good. I just sang loudly the whole way. I didn’t care if it sounded good or not.
Darkness sometimes even feels safe to me. Sounds strange, I know, especially since I was extremely afraid of the dark when I was little. But now it’s a safe space for me to hide in, I guess. And it is only in darkness that light can be created. Metaphorically, yes, but also literally. Nothing is cozier to me than lighting a bunch of candles in the winter evenings (and even mornings). It doesn’t only give light, but also warmth and a feeling of homeliness. ‘Hygge’, as the Danish would say. All of this to say: there are some beautiful things to darkness.
As for rest and stillness, I try to tell everyone who will listen that this time of year is slowing down, for cocooning, for resting. Nature is pausing, preparing for the season of spring. And so should we. There’s less daylight, which means most of us have less energy. And we should honour that. Sleep more, eat a little more, do a little less. This is a time to slow down, to process emotions, to listen to what our bodies need. It’s no surprise to me that so many people are ill during this period. A lot of us have the busiest (social) calanders in December, exactly when most of us have the least energy. We need a different approach to living in the winter. And I know that we don’t always have control over our situations. There’s demanding jobs and family obligations, but I think the more we speak out about this, the bigger our influence becomes and the more likely we are to change things. And hopefully some day, we’ll be allowed to retreat and cocoon in the winter time, since that is what we need.
Happy Mother’s Night. Talk to you tomorrow 🙂
Tea Time With Amber 