My friend and his pinecone story ~
December 26, 2023 I received a message on Instagram from a complete stranger, who I now consider a dear friend and inspiration - and I've never actually met him. He lives in Oregon with his wife, and he is a bronze artist. Creating and casting the most beautiful pieces from doorbells, to wine and whiskey bottle stoppers, to door handles and drawer pulls. His story is crazy and the takeaway is beautiful. He and I began talking when my world had taken a turn yet again in life. He shared his story with me and the story of the pinecone and I was reassured. He came into my life for a reason, and the timing was perfect - he even gifted my kiddos and I his pinecones and reminded me of how far I've come and not to lose faith - trusting again that life would all work out as it always does. I couldn't think of a better story to inspire and share with you and connect to this blog. Garrett and his wife Beth, found me when I was in a tough and dark place. I very much encourage you to check out his website and read The Story of the Pinecone it brought me hope and reminded me to trust the process.
It wasn't until I began writing this blog yesterday, about the Winter Solstice and my tradition that surrounds it, that I realized the connection Garrett and I share in a sense of how Pinecones and Fire have helped us both in growth and transformation...
The beauty in the Winter Solstice ~
Generally speaking, in the US and for the majority of the world, January 1st thru December 31st marks our traditional calendar year. We plot and plan on January 1st by way of new years resolutions. Continue to live out the year growing, thriving, learning and doing what we do, and then close it out on the 31st only to begin again. There are many cycles and opportunities to "begin again" and celebrate fresh starts; via birthdays, anniversaries, in this case, New Year. But really, every damn day is an opportunity if you think about it.
Personally, I tend to see the end of the year lining up when "nature" does, by way of The Winter Solstice - when the sun dies and is born again. Scientifically speaking, the Winter Solstice arrives in the northern hemisphere on December 21st. It is the shortest day of the year, and therefore shines the least amount of sunlight on earth. A very beautiful cycle of light, if you will. The sun is born again on the Winter Solstice. It grows through Spring to eventually reach it's fullest on the Summer Solstice, and then slowly fades through Autumn, until it finally dies on the darkest night during Winter, emerging "new" again. A lovely way to think of the change of seasons and the new year in Natures terms.
The Winter quiet ~
The significance of the Winter Solstice runs deep with many layers and facets that I resonate closely with. The quiet that comes with the winter season is most comforting. In Nature, animals hibernate, leaves have fallen and the ground is bare. It's the time to be quiet and to go quiet within. Yes, the holidays offer a bit of crazy and noise, but that aside, the longer nights and colder weather, lends to this ability to stay inside, hibernate, and if you're willing...to reflect.
It is the season of rest, not action as we gear up to begin again. The Winter Solstice is the time of year best used (in my opinion) to hold space for rest, self-care, a slower pace when able, and the attempt to not worry about the year to come and how it will look. We have ideas of course for our proposed intentions and resolutions, but the "action" and "how to" of it all, isn't for us to worry about quite yet. We're not meant to be achieving active goals during this time, but rather resting and trusting that those goals and the action to make them happen, will occur when the time is right...but now...in Winter...is not that time.
Winter lends to nourishment in nature, and this goes for us humans as well. By allowing for rest and grounding, to calm the body's systems after a long year. Think of the sleeping bear, that will eventually emerge in the early months of Spring, rested and rejuvenated - Be a bear this time of year.
Taking comfort in the darkness ~
In our youth there is almost this innate fear of darkness. Yes, perhaps it stems from movies or societal implications that scary things happen in the dark, but realistically speaking, the darkness is where we sleep and rest. Why is it so hard to find comfort in the dark? It's where we replenish for the next day. Where we dream and our subconscious speaks. It's really quite peaceful if you think about it and it is certainly most difficult to achieve rest in the daylight and gain the same results. When the "lights are on" so to speak, we are conditioned to go, go, go and do, do, do. The dark sets the stage and the tone, to simply stop doing, so we can wake the next day and be able to do life again.
Winter provides this space on a larger scale in being the time of year where the action stops and body can chill for a chunk of time rather than just an evening. Here, we can turn our focus on other aspects of the Self. The darkness of Winter holds space for us to deal with our "dark side" if you will. And no, I don't mean in a Star Wars sense like we have a dark or evil side, but more that we all have struggles and challenges that we tend to suppress and not address when the action and body are in motion - when the "light is on" so to speak. It's the stuff we bury, run from and hide from - when we avoid and fear our own challenges and/or "darkness" we cut ourselves off from an opportunity for growth.
As I mentioned in my last blog, challenges in life can mean opportunities for change, for transformation, and to do and be better IF we're willing to see it as such.
The Winter Solstice holds space for us to reflect on the year we had, both the good and the bad, to learn the lessons where we can, and recognize opportunity for self improvement. Change, growth and blessings are around the corner with the birth of a new sun and brighter days.
For this moment, allow yourself to rest in the peace of the darkness, let it cover you like a blanket and take comfort in it. Let it hold you and assure you that the changing of season and the return of the light is around the corner. The dark days and dark times both literally and figuratively won't last forever and the light will always return.
My Winter Solstice Tradition ~
Here's where the connection to pinecones and fire comes in. The Winter Solstice tradition that I've shared for a few years now with friends and family is simple and lovely. We simply set the stage to release what no longer serves us and are working to let go of. While we also set intentions and sow seeds for the year ahead and what we hope to cultivate. We light fire to both - encouraging transformation and shifts to begin.
Here's a how we celebrate ~
- Gather one or two pinecones for each member of your group.
- Next, on little pieces of paper write down all the things that you are working to move past or to let go of. Make it as detailed or as simple as you wish. Nobody sees this or has to know about this but you.
- Continue, on little pieces of paper again, write down words, phrases, prayers, affirmations, etc - all the things you are hoping to see, create and manifest or maybe even do or work towards in the year to come. Nothing wrong with putting your prayers and/or intentions out there for God or the Universe to hear right?
- Then, attach the papers to the pine cones. We tend to just roll them up and stick them between the pinecone fronds.
- Gather around the fire either alone or with the people you are sharing this night with. Smile - both on face and in your heart. Give thanks for all you are, all you have, for where you've come from and for where you're headed.
- Lastly, release your pinecones into the fire and watch the first steps of your new year transpire. This is the beginning of your new cycle. This is a fresh start. You've set the intentions and the seeds for the new year have been planted.
- Now rest and relax. It's time to hibernate and replenish - because you have a beautiful year ahead of you.
Like the sun, you get to start again for the year - it's your rebirth. But the reality is this, you get to start over again as I mentioned earlier, every damn day if you'd like. The sun rises and sets every morning and every night, to begin fresh the next day...so can you.
So my point is really this...you have the opportunity to start over at anytime in this lifetime, a calendar doesn't determine your start date. You just need to be willing to burn off the old, move on from the past, and light fire to the bright future you can create for yourself whenever you are ready.
Please check out Garrett's The Story Of The Pinecone as well - a short and sweet read for sure.
xo,
B