The Winter Solstice Brings Back the Light!

The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this happens in December, when the Sun moves into Capricorn. This year, the Sun enters Capricorn at 10:27 pm EST on December 21, 2023.

After the Winter Solstice, the days get longer, bit by bit, until they reach their maximum length at the Summer Solstice. The light is coming back! 

The Southern Hemisphere gets its Winter Solstice during Cancer season in the summer. At that time, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its Summer Solstice.

At either solstice, the Sun actually appears to stand still for approximately three days. The name “solstice” comes from the Latin words “sol” (“sun”) and “sistere” (“to stand still”). 

The Winter Solstice is therefore a potent opportunity to reflect on where you’ve been and where you’d like to go from here.

Celebrations associated with the Winter Solstice

In ancient Rome, the festival of Saturnalia took place for a week leading up to the Winter Solstice. It honored Saturn, who happens to rule the sign of Capricorn. 

As Christianity then grew within the Roman Empire and ultimately became its official religion, some of Saturnalia’s practices, such as decorating with greenery and giving gifts, became incorporated into the Christian holiday of Christmas. In the Christian context, Jesus Christ is often referred to as the light of the world, so celebrating the birth of Jesus at this time of year makes sense symbolically.

Candles were a common Saturnalia gift, signifying the return of the light after the Winter Solstice. Today, electric Christmas lights adorn many houses during this time of year. They’re practical as well as fun — it’s otherwise hard to see when dark falls so early in the day!

As you mark the Winter Solstice in your own way, you may want to incorporate elements of light, such as candles, fireplace fires, or Christmas light shows.

The dark side of the dark

Some people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, where they feel depressed during the winter in a way they aren’t during the summer. One common form of treatment for this condition involves sitting in front of a light box every day to compensate for the lack of sunlight. We do need the Sun’s presence to nourish us, and missing it is understandable!

However, it’s part of nature’s age-old cycles that we see less of the Sun during certain times of the year. This is a bit of a mismatch with modern society, which demands a consistently high level of activity year-round.

If you are experiencing symptoms that may need medical intervention, there’s no shame in pursuing that. For milder levels of discomfort or malaise during the darkest time of year, however, you might simply consider managing your expectations. Admitting it’s normal to feel less energetic during the winter could liberate you. Once you realize there’s nothing wrong with paring down your schedule or taking more time to sleep, you’ll likely feel even better.

Although the dark winter is not a great time for outwardly focused activity, it can be an important opportunity to turn inward, reflect, and contemplate. If you’re sleeping more, you might get better at remembering your dreams. Paying attention to your inner self could help you find direction and formulate plans that you’ll be ready to execute closer to the Spring Equinox. 

How can yoga help?

The best yoga routine for the Winter Solstice might acknowledge the lower energy levels that are naturally present during this dark time of year. Lean toward gentle yin yoga rather than active vinyasa flows, although throwing in a Sun Salutation might be hard to resist. The light is definitely on its way to coming back, but it’s not all the way here yet! 

Especially if you’re marking the Winter Solstice during Capricorn season, yoga poses for Capricorn energy are good for the Winter Solstice. Capricorn is associated with the root chakra. With the distractions of brighter times of year stripped away, you’re forced to focus on your basic structure. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Capricorn rules the bones.

Mountain Pose, a standing pose that looks simple, actually does a lot to enhance your stability and grounding. It might also help you feel more energetic as it aligns your posture. 

Hero Pose is another Capricorn yoga pose that’s more powerful than it appears. It stretches the knees, another Capricorn body part. For many people, that’s good, but you should avoid Hero Pose if you have knee or ankle injuries.

You can stay in Hero Pose, sitting with your hips on your heels, for meditation if it’s comfortable for you. There will be other opportunities to take a more active approach to life, but prioritizing meditation might help you get the most out of the quiet and reflective vibe of Capricorn season.

For additional guidance on yoga flows for the Winter Solstice, consider joining the Astro Yoga Experience!