At In Harmony we like to pause and acknowledge the winter solstice. On December 21 you may want to stop to appreciate the darkness. If you would like to join with others, there is a wide variety of solstice events.
The dark days of late December may bring festive occasions with family and friends. We hope your holiday season is filled with joy and laughter, comfort and cheer.
At In Harmony, we work to connect our practices and our clients’ landscapes with the rhythms of Mother Nature. Thus we like to pause and acknowledge the winter solstice. The solstice celebrates our connection with the natural world, with darkness and light.
The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. This year has been challenging and stressful for many people. It may be a good time to stop and honor the solstice.
The 2021 winter solstice is Tuesday, December 21. On that evening you may want to pause to appreciate the darkness. This is the moment when the sun pauses too. It stops its apparent southward path and moves back toward the north.
While the winter solstice marks the shortest, darkest day, it also marks the rebirth of the sun, when days begin to grow longer. Perhaps the return of the light will also mark the beginning of a better year ahead.
To honor the solstice, you could find a place outside away from the bright lights. Or you could darken your home and light candles. You could make a fire in your fireplace or fire pit.
Perhaps you will want to take a moment to think about your connection to the sun and its eternal motion, and your relationship with the planet. You could consider what you are grateful for, what you would like to release into the darkness, and what you would like to bring forward into the light. Some people use the solstice to set goals and intentions for the year ahead.
Here is an excerpt from a poem by Margaret Atwood.
“…This is the solstice, the still point
of the sun, its cusp and midnight,
the year’s threshold
and unlocking, where the past
lets go of and becomes the future;
the place of caught breath, the door
of a vanished house left ajar…”
― Eating Fire: Selected Poetry 1965-1995
Solstice Celebrations
Perhaps you would like to join with others to celebrate the solstice. There is a wide variety of events available, from walks and runs to yoga and meditation, from a sound bath to eating, drinking and shopping.
Winter Solstice Holiday Night Market
December 17, 6:00 pm-December 20, 4:00 am
Magnuson Park, Hangar 30, Seattle
Seattle’s largest Holiday Night Market returns for a festive weekend of eating, drinking & holiday shopping. Info and tickets here.
A Bonsai Solstice
December 18, 4:00-7:00 pm
Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way
Enjoy a quiet stroll in the woods to explore bonsai illuminated by soft lights (and your flashlights). The museum is only open at night once a year. This is a low-key, family-friendly tradition. Free event. Info here.
Seward Solstice
December 18, 8:30 am-12:00 pm
Seward Park, Seattle
This running race consists of a 10K and 4.2 mile trail run. The run route follows a loop that is almost entirely in old-growth forest. Info here.
Drum Circle & Winter Solstice Fire
December 18, 11:00 am
Blyth Park Trail, Bothell
Bring a gift for Gaia, such as a stone, tobacco, sage, herbs, shells, a twig or a feather. Bring food to share and a beverage of your choice. Dress warm. Info here.
90 Lunar Salutations for the Winter Solstice
December 18, 4:00-6:00 pm
Yoga Tree, in-person and online
This workshop will take a deep dive within, through 90 Lunar Salutations, to physically align with the darkness. Use reflective writing practices to create new goals and intentions. Info here.
Solstice Labyrinth Candlelight Walk + Sound Bath
December 19, 5:00-6:30 pm
The SPACE, Tacoma
Join a magical evening of light, sound healing, community and deep nourishment. Info here.
Winter Solstice Luminary Walk along the Snohomish River Trail
December 21, 4:00-8:00 pm
Snohomish River Centennial Trail, Snohomish
Enjoy a peaceful walk along the Snohomish River Centennial Trail adorned with luminaries lighting the pathway. Free event. Info here.
Longest Night: Solstice Ceremony 2021
December 21, 6:30-11:59 pm
Northwest Film Forum, Seattle
Enter a waking dream as Northwest Film Forum’s space is transformed. Full of music performances, guided movement, wellness activities, participatory rituals and countless inventions culled from subconscious states, Longest Night is a solstice party that brings light to the year’s darkest day. Info and tickets here.
Winter Solstice Sound Bath Meditation
December 21, 6:30-8:00 pm
Kula Movement, 5340 Ballard Avenue Northwest, Seattle
A sound bath is a therapeutic concert which allows the body to achieve a deeper state of relaxation and the brain to transcend the thoughts and shift to a state of peaceful consciousness. Info and tickets here.
Yuletide Meditation Event
December 21, 6:45-9:00 pm
Institute of Awakened Mastery, Mountlake Terrace
Gather in meditation to light the fire of joy within and create ornaments in community together afterward. Info here.
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