Hello lovely.
Two days before the solstice. How is that even possible?! This is my last letter to you before the return on the sun - but not the last letter! We will be meeting here in the quiet all the way up until the new year to celebrate and remember and move through this sacred portal together.
Last night I was home alone, so I ordered in some food, got my oracle cards out, lit a couple of candles, opened my moleskin, and settled in for a few cozy moments of reflection and preparation for the ancient traditions that lie ahead in the coming week and a half.
I considered pulling both the card for today and the card for the solstice. But, in the end, I felt that I needed to let this message stand alone. And, I decided to offer a special message on the solstice, which you will just have to wait until Friday to see. 😉
Today’s card feels perfect for these deepest, darkest days. When I turned over the ancestor card, it just felt right. I immediately began scribbling everything that came welling up from my soul in my moleskin, feeling that the message was so clear.
As I crossover into these last few days of the year, at the height of anticipation, magic, and holiday vibes, this card reminds me that everything that I do and experience and celebrate comes from long ago. And even though my wife and I have merged our Scandinavian and American cultures to create our own simple, slow traditions, I know that we are reaching way back in our families, our histories, and our cultures in order to create our current holiday celebrations.
The message of the ancestor card is simple, but powerful: Listen.
I am an old soul. I believe in the ancient ways. I am convinced that the way of the ancients is the way of the spirit, that can inform both our inner growth and our work in the world. I look to the past to find traditions and myths and mysteries that inspire me and link us all to each other and to the past. I weave these into my own spiritual, daily, rhythmic way of living. And let the knowledge and information sink into my soul.
And it is there, deep within my soul, that I feel the connection to the past, to the ancient ways, and to my ancestors. Deep within, there is a river of wisdom flowing. These dark December days have given, and continue to give me, the space to dive deep and drink from the well of my soul, of my ancestors.
What I have been hearing and feeling this December is simply an affirmation to continue to follow the rhythms of nature. To drop even deeper into aligning my life with the flow of the cycles and the wisdom of the earth. To watch closely for signs and messages sent to me every single day. And to trust the unfolding process of it all.
The ancestors of the past whisper to me, to us all, that whatever the situation, there is a reason for it. It is all part of the process and of the ever-cycling spiral of life. They speak to me, through the birds and trees and moon and sun, to cherish every moment and experience; and that each day deepens my own wisdom.
There is an innate, connected river of wisdom flowing within each of us. The message of ancestors is to simply turn inward to access it. The gift of December’s darkness, especially as we enter these sacred days at the end of the year, is that we have the perfect space, setting, vibe, and energy all around us to take the time to turn inward.
Oh, I know that we could also see this as the most hectic time of the year - right now, as we finish up holiday shopping, begin our possible holiday travels, feel the stress of gathering with family, or the loneliness of missing family. This could potentially be a very chaotic, triggering time of the year.
But, the ancestors invite us to do things differently. The earth shows us how to do things differently. She envelops us in her darkness and welcomes us into her quiet winter rest. Our ancestors whisper for us to slow down and pay attention. To listen, to feel, to access the deep wisdom that lies within us and reaches all the way down through us into the earth.
These last two days before the solstice, find as much time as you can, even if it is just a couple of minutes after you finish this letter, to sit and slow your breath and let your roots reach down into the earth… and just listen to the wisdom that rises up from within you.
Your ancestors, our ancestors, are silently speaking.
xoxo. liz.
Thank you for this! I feel exactly the same about the ancestors.