The Spirit of the Sun Returning
The path from Winter Solstice to Imbolc
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, we now walk the path from Winter Solstice to Imbolc. We emerge from the longest night, feeling the soothing dark within the Earth, and within ourselves.
We know the Sun has been re-born, and that each day is longer than the one before ... but we cannot really see the light returning – the days still seem short and cold.
We know that we are moving toward Spring, but for many of us, we face weeks or months of cold winter weather.
The light is returning and we need help to feel it.
There is simple candle magic that can really help with this. Most people find that doing this practice daily is the most powerful way to experience the magic, but even if you light a candle only once, it can still make a difference for you.
Candle Ritual: Feel the Light Returning
What you'll need:
A new candle
A holder to place the candle in
Matches or lighter
Candle Magic:
In a quiet place, hold the candle and remember the magic of Winter Solstice - out of the longest night, the Sun is re-born.
Hold an image in your mind of the sun rising in the east. See the light bring colour to the landscape. Let the images flow through your hands and enter into the candle.
Feel the warmth and heat of the sun flow into the candle.
Continue until you feel the candle is filled with the qualities of the Sun.
Place the candle into a stand.
There is a place within your body that is your spirit centre. Close your eyes and put your hand on your spirit centre, wherever you feel it to be.
One way to envision your spirit is to see it as fire. Let yourself see your Spirit as a flame. Notice how this feels. What colours dance in the flame of your spirit? Does it vibrate, or hum? Is there a scent?
Spend a few minutes getting to know your spirit flame. Know that your spirit flame was re-ignited with the rising Sun on Solstice morning.
Open your eyes. Light the candle. The candle that is the Sun. The candle that can remind you of the subtly lengthening days.
Feel the connection between the Sun, and the flame of your spirit.
See the candle flame before you. Feel the flame within you. See how the Sun feeds your spirit fire.
Know that as the Wheel of the Year turns, the Sun’s influence increases, the days lengthen, and your own spirit fire burns brighter, and brighter.
So mote it be!
Tips:
If this is done as a daily practice, the candle itself will diminish as the days lengthen, providing a concrete representation of the turning of the Wheel.
Alternatively, you can light one additional candle each day - beginning with one flame, then another, and another, until you have a very strong experience of the growing light, even when cold winter storms continue to rage outside.
I like to do this candle magic from Winter Solstice until it flows into my preparations for Imbolc. Imbolc is the next stop on the turning Wheel of the Year and is at the end of January, or the beginning of February.