December 21: The Winter Solstice, and the first official day of the Winter season.
This year’s Winter Solstice will bring a rare sight to our night skies: The “Christmas Star,” just in time for the holidays. Make sure to look up at the sky tonight, especially shortly after sundown in the southwest sky. Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer to each other on December 21 than they have since the Middle Ages. If you gaze into the southwestern horizon at the right time, the two gas giants will look like neighboring points of light. They will appear to be almost a “double planet” and “alignments between these two planets are rather rare, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare (last one visible was March 4, 1226) because of how close the planets will appear to one another,” says Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan.
Since prehistory, the Winter Solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures. People have traditionally celebrated the day with feasts, togetherness, fires, singing, and dancing. There’s a feeling of magic in this day and night, and it’s definitely worth celebrating that the gradual lengthening of days has begun again!
It’s also important to acknowledge that the Winter Solstice can be a dark time of year for many of us emotionally. Although we know in our minds that there will be a gradual return of the light, in our hearts the shift to winter can bring dread, fatigue, melancholy, and anxiety. With a lack of natural light it can be hard to believe that spring will ever come.
Turning to essential oils can help immensely. Diffuse oils that stimulate and wake up the mind and body. Some recommendations are Wild Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Peppermint, Ginger, Lemon, and Cypress. Oils that encourage us to seek community are also ideal for this time of year, to help us avoid the instinct to hibernate and avoid social contact. I recommend Frankincense for unification and Cedarwood for connectedness and community. They can be diffused or applied to the feet or over the heart.
If you are looking for further essential oil recommendations for specific seasonal challenges, I am here to help!
