Resting with the Solstice, Resisting the Longing for the Light
As the winter solstice approaches, I find myself reflecting on its quiet power—not just as a turning point, but as a rare moment of stillness.
We’re so often told to reach for the light, to anticipate brighter days and renewed energy. The solstice is celebrated as a marker of change, a promise of what’s to come. But what if we resisted that impulse? What if, instead of rushing toward productivity, movement, and doing, we lingered in the darkness a little longer?
There’s so much the darkness has to teach us.
The Pressure to Keep Moving
This time of year can feel like a strange paradox. On one hand, nature is slowing down. The trees are bare, the earth seems to sleep, and the days are short and quiet. On the other hand, the world around us rarely pauses. We’re urged to plan, to prepare, to start the year strong. Even the solstice—a natural moment of pause—can feel like it’s pushing us to anticipate brighter days and renewed energy.
But what if we didn’t anticipate? What if we simply rested?
Lingering in Stillness
I’ve been thinking about what it means to pause. To resist the constant pull toward action, progress, and renewal. To let myself feel tired without judgment.
The solstice, with its long stretch of darkness, invites us to linger. To sit in the quiet, to notice what arises when we stop doing. It’s a reminder that stillness is part of the cycle too. Rest is not an interruption of life—it’s an essential part of it.
Finding Beauty in the Pause
The days will lengthen, yes. The light will return. And when it does, we’ll be ready to move forward again. But for now, it’s OK to slow down. To let the darkness hold us, to listen to what it has to say.
So, this solstice, I’m choosing to rest. To resist the urge to rush into movement or change. To honour the pause and allow myself to linger a little longer in the stillness.
What would happen if we all allowed ourselves this kind of rest? What could the darkness teach us, if we let it?
Closing Invitation
As you approach this solstice, I invite you to pause too. Step into the stillness. Feel the quiet. Resist the urge to look too far ahead, and trust that this moment of rest has its own beauty, its own lessons.
Here’s to finding peace in the pause. 🌙💛