SOLSTICE SEASON IS HERE!

I celebrate the Winter Solstice at this time of year. There is an undeniable truth about the Winter Solstice, it is the shortest day of the year. The day when the sun is as far from the earth as it gets, and the day that is the last day of waning daylight. [Yes I know, not in the Southern Hemisphere-There, this is the Summer Solstice another undeniable truth – we will talk about that later.I digress.] I am not a pagan, nor am I a Christian. To me, as a writer, it is important to be very careful with labels.

My Solstice Season, which I get to make up as there are no rules here, Begins December 11 and goes through December 31. Each year I have a practice for these twenty-one days which includes three sections.

The First Week I Rest

Yes, REST! I stop making appointments or meeting deadlines and only do what is restful. Sometimes that is writing a chapter, and sometimes it’s skipping the dishes, I get to say.

The Second Week I Practice Completion

Completion may mean something different to you than it means to me. What I mean is I take a week to practice acknowledgment and forgiveness. For myself and others.

I start by taking the time to acknowledge what I’ve accomplished in the past year and to acknowledge what I didn’t accomplish that I said I would. Then I look around and let others know that what they have accomplished has been noticed by me. And I congratulate them.

Then I take the time to honestly look and forgive myself for my shortcomings, my crankiness, my small-minded creepiness, my stinginess, and anything else I see as something I need to forgive myself for. Then I look around at my friends and family and ask their forgiveness for anything (anything) I may have done or said that diminished them in any way. This is harder for me.

The Third Week I Create the Next Year

This is the part I like the most and it usually takes the entire last week of the year. I look and see what is it that I want to engage in for the following year. (One time I did it for a decade.) What do I want to accomplish? Who do I want to accomplish it with? What is my overall purpose for the year?

I do all kinds of different things in this week. I make a vision board, I do a new reality collage, I have a party and do a vision board with friends. I have a potluck and everyone comes and we talk about creating our future year. Sometimes this potluck turns into a collage party!

Sometimes I do all of these things and sometimes I do none of these things. It is up to me, it is my tradition and there are very few people to argue it with me.

In closing please know that I am Wishing you a Wonderful SOLSTICE SEASON!