In this difficult time I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well. And also that you have been able to find your way in the challenges that this time presents you.

2020 has been a year of profound turmoil and challenges, including a global pandemic, that forced many humans into a new way of life. As difficult as this year was and still is, it came with new learnings and valuables that keep us hopeful that the new normal will continue to evolve and bloom into something much more beautiful.

The only way out is in

I will be also be here to support you in 2021. Even though our space in the outside world is quite limited at the moment, our inside world is still limitless. This world is free from the ups and downs of life. It is full of peace and quiet. It is a place among all our experiences where Now everything is already quite as it is. Especially in this time it is important to focus your attention on this place and to experience your well-being and balance there. However, this requires practice, persistence and sometimes also guidance.

I know I have not posted much this year, though I haven’t been idle. As life suddenly moved to online and onscreen, I feel an even deeper need to recharge outside in nature as much as I can. So this blog hasn’t updated as much as I may have wanted, but if I learned anything this year (even more) is that self-care is crucial to keep sane in this ever maddening world.

I have also started drawing and painting more and well Wintertime calls for books and lots of quiet time away from screens. I am deepening my knowledge and practice of tarot, astrology, witchcraft and science as well as my yoga and meditation practice.

Slow down

At this time, at the end of the year, it is important to only do those things that are really necessary. Continue rounding and cleaning up. So that you can let the year and its winter process bring you to a halt. In the rest, in the depth, in you.

It is nice to be able to put on hold your ‘wanting to’ during this period until the middle and end of January. Right now is not the time to start a new project, but to perhaps plan some things ahead. Put them down in pencil, nothing needs to be set in stone at this time.

In the deep winter it is nice to experience the autonomous process of life. Wanting, doing and making are for the summer. Now is the time to let go, feel and slow down …

Lately it got dark a little earlier every day, it was still super dark at 8 am this morning. This will change from the winter solstice on December 21. Then the sun – for the northern hemisphere – is at its southernmost position and we experience the longest night of the year. This special moment has been celebrated for centuries by the ancient tribes of nature. These feasts are dedicated to the rebirth of the sun, light and fire.

Midwinter honors and celebrates the rebirth of the light. Light is not born of light, but of darkness. The light is born at the darkest point.

What new light, consciousness, fertile life force are you allowing to be born into your life?
What old things, relationships and parts of yourself do you want to let go of?
What intention do you put in the light for yourself that will grow again? What does your heart, your soul, your being long for …

A Midwinter ritual

Make a fire. In a fire bowl or a fire pit, or else light a candle.

  • Create a pleasant atmosphere where you can completely relax and enjoy this ritual.
  • Do a meditation. You can focus on your breathing for a while or stare silently into the fire for a while. Thinking about what you want to let go of the past year. How did you start 2020? How have you developed yourself this year? What is stopping you right now from pursuing your deepest desires and dreams?
  • Write down what you want to release and release to the fire.
  • Burn the paper in the fire and say goodbye to what no longer serves you. Look at how you can discern shapes in the flames and receive a message from the fire.
  • Thank yourself for all the steps you have taken this year. Honor your courage, your strength, your persistence, your love, everything you have put in place to get where you are now.
  • Use the space that arises because you have released something. Imagine new fertile soil in which to plant new seeds.
  • Ask the fire to warm you on your way of life.
  • Joyfully end this ritual in your own way.

The Rauhnächte,

At the eve of midwinter I start counting and celebrating the twelve holy nights, the Rauhnächte. I will write more about these days soon. The Rauhnächte, can be translated to the Smoke Nights or the Rough Nights (The Wild Hunt) and these are twelve sacred nights that fall outside of time: twelve nights in the darkest time of the year, in which you reflect on the past year and look at the coming year. They are the nights of the darkest darkness, in which you make time for purification, meditation, foretelling the future and introspection. Holy nights that have always been meaningful and full of stories.

There are several dates when you can start counting the twelve holy nights (also called thirteen holy days).
One starts on the night to Midwinter, so from 20 to 21 December. That is when you stick to the fixed Midwinter date.
In Scandinavia they celebrate Midwinter on December 23. So then you start on the night of 22 to 23 December with the first Raunacht.
And the Christian variant of the holy nights begins on Christmas Eve on the night of December 24 to 25. But in Germany they only start on Christmas Day in the night of 25 to 26 December. While in England they start on New Year’s Day.

Fireworks

We close the year 2020 astrologically with a lot of fireworks (this will compensate nicely the ban of real fireworks at New Year’s Eve here in The Netherlands due to Covid, yes people all fun and celebration is forbidden at this time as the virus apparently is attracted to all things that make us human such as celebrating life together – but I will get of my soapbox now, don’t worry). Lots of things are still happening in the last few weeks of this year such as a solar eclipse, a special conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn and a Full Moon in Cancer.

What happens astrologically this last month of the year?

  • December 14, we have the significant eclipse of the sun in Sagittarius, which has been tracking us for six months.
  • On December 16, Venus will also be affected by Sagittarius.
  • On December 18, Saturn enters the sign of Aquarius.
  • On December 20, Jupiter will join in with the fun.
  • On December 21, the major conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn takes place at 0 degrees in Aquarius. This is extremely powerful!
  • On December 30 and 31, the Full Moon will be in Cancer.
    During this Full Moon we experience that it was a year in which we built up our inner strength. In the last days of 2020 you can make space to take care of yourself and reflect on everything that has happened. What are you grateful for? What did you learn? What do you still want to hold on to in 2021? And what do you want to do differently, supported by the mighty energies of the universe?

The special conjunction of Jupiter & Saturn

So on December 21st, the special conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn takes place in the air sign Aquarius (Age of Aquarius!). This is called the “Great Reset”. It is a cosmic event, but the experience is deeply personal. What I can say about it is that as I see Jupiter and Saturn approach each other, I realize that something very great is going on here that belongs to this time. Of course, this does not mean that people should be passive, waiting as this is the time when thinking and acting is more necessary than ever.

People themselves must take the responsibility to see and decide what is considered to be true or false, and to act accordingly. We have to take back the control of our lives. I think the celestial bodies, and the Jupiter / Saturn conjunction in particular, could be an inspiration. The silent movement of Jupiter and Saturn, which will come to an encounter on December 21, gives me confidence that we are not alone in this critical time.

Take this time to look at yourself and the world through eyes of compassion and love and not just compassion and love for people who think like you. Stop falling for the division game, do not let us be divided. This is a time to come together and stop the chaos and distraction. Start to listen and understand each other better, share, don’t let anyone silence you. Speak your truth. Don’t ever self-censor. Your voice needs to be heard! The new world is here, shut down your electronics and go out and help create it for you are a powerful co-creator, don’t ever forget this. EnJOY the dance of life. JOY is vital at the moment, it is our life force. Be that joy and spread it generously. Thank you!!

For Dutch readers a re-minder that I am facilitating Wheel of the Year SoulCollage® workshops. The deadline for the Yule workshop has past, but I still have vacancies for people starting at Imbolc. More information here https://www.joyincreation.com/soulcollage-wiel-van-het-jaar-vieringen-nederlandse-workshops/ and if If you don’t speak Dutch and are interested in SoulCollage® Wheel of the Year celebrations, please let me know so I can organise these if enough people show an interest.

I am also still accepting orders for the 2021 Year ahead Tarot readings; https://www.joyincreation.com/2020/12/06/start-2021-with-clarity-vision-year-ahead-tarot-readings-ook-in-nederlands/ – please don’t wait to long as the final spots are filling up quickly.

In JOY

Pictures by @karina_grens