The magical portal of December🎄
How I am letting nature guide me deep into the last month of the year.
Hello, you.
And welcome to a new month. The last month of 2023. Whoa. That feels powerful and important to write. This year really is coming to a close. But, before it does, we’ve got one more dark, lovely month to connect with over the next 31 days. A month filled with all kinds of moods and energies. But, perhaps, that is exactly how it should be at the end of the year. A little bit of everything all at once - to help us reflect, celebrate, and bid farewell to another year.
December is a blending of many things, I think. There is the hustling, bustling, festive holiday vibe filled with feelings of excitement and anticipation. There are packages and music and fires and twinkly lights. But, there is also a sense of feeling blue, stressed, anxious, and somewhat sad. There are empty chairs in our homes and around our tables. The world is hurting. And there is often too much to do, so the true magic of the season passes by us because we are so intent on getting our lists done in order to make everything magical. And, of course, it is dark. No matter where you find yourself in the northern hemisphere, it is dark (or dark-er). And cold (or cold-er).
So, what to do with all of these competing feelings and moods and energies? How can I feel festive when there are wars and suffering around the world, and an empty hole in my heart? How do I slow down so I can soak in the magic instead of trying to force it all?
The only thing I can think of, the thing that my intuition is whispering to my soul this year, is to go deep. Yes, that’s it. December is deep. That feels right. And, I can simply look to nature to understand the energy and meaning of December.
There is so much richness and meaning and depth to the month of December. Deeper than the festivities. Deeper than the shopping. Deeper than the stress or grief.
Deep down in December there is darkness. And in that darkness there is silence. And in that silence there is hope. Because the things that are deep, and often dark, are also portals into something new. Be it a new year or the earth’s renewal in spring.
So, once again, nature guides me to exactly where I need to be as a new month begins. In December, the earth quietens. And, if you are lucky enough to have snow or if you can think back to a previous snow you’ve experienced, there is an even deeper silence that comes when the snow arrives. Nevertheless, snow or not, the earth becomes dark and silent and still in December. Just stop for a moment and look and listen.
The days are darker now than any other time of the year. Winter settles in. The animal kingdom slows down, adjusts to the weather, and many bury themselves deep down into their winter caves and underground spaces. The plants and trees draw inwards and downwards, almost as if on pause for the next few months. Resting and rooting. The sun retreats from the sky even more, making the days shorter and the nights longer as we march toward the solstice on the 22nd of December.
It’s no wonder I find myself exhausted at the end of each day and wanting to simply nest at home every single weekend. I am nature. We are nature. We are naturally drawn and pulled to responding exactly as the plant and animal world. We are meant to slow down and go deep in December.
But, I don’t want to miss the festivities and rituals and traditions of the season either. I don’t want to bury myself (completely) under blankets, surrounded by candles, at home. I mean, I want to… hehe. But, I really do want to also celebrate with that jolly holiday spirit. I want both things. I want it all. But, how?
The answer I find in my soul, once again, is to go deep.
There is no need for competing energies. I can have it all this month. We can have it all this month. The thing I most need in order to have a deep December is awareness. It is to simply be mindful, present, and aware from moment to moment. To keep myself slow and grounded and connected.
In other words, I just need to bring the deep energy of December into all of my festivities, traditions, and rituals by simply slowing down, soaking it all in, and being fully present.
Of course, I also prioritize a few sacred moments every single day for solitude - to cultivate a deep, quiet, silent space for reflection, feeling, and just being with the energy of December. It is a way to be sure I make space for going deep into my soul and resting deep in the spirit of December every day.
If you’d like to join me in this solitary practice throughout December, then I’d love for you to set aside a few minutes every other day to follow along as I share my own little mini-letters of December reflections - A Deep December - all month long. Beginning tomorrow!
Yes, there is a festive spirit in the air as I wake on this first morning of December. There is also a twinge of heaviness. It is literally dark and snowy and cold where I am. But, the coffee is hot and the candles are flickering as I close out this letter to you. I feel the slow, dark, magical energy of December in me. I feel at one with nature, even as I am in the middle of the city. The darkness, the quietness (yes, even in the city) of the pre-dawn hour, the desire to rest and reflect, the call to settle into winter and wait. It’s all within me. And this is what I want to carry with me all month long.
So, for now, that’s what I do. I stay in the moment, even as I move from moment to moment. Even as I head out the door and in the snow in an hour to walk to work, I know I will hug a tree and talk with the birds and smile as passersby. That’s how I stay deep.
Right now, my friend, and throughout this deep December portal into a new year, join me and just wait. Be still. Soften. Create space for solitude. Listen to the silence of the dark. Feel the magic of it all.
xoxo. liz.
Can’t wait to read more!