---
title: "Honoring the Darkness: A Winter Solstice Practice of Release"
entity: "blog"
canonical_url: "https://www.newdawnwellness.com/blog/honoring-the-darkness-a-winter-solstice-practice-of-release"
markdown_url: "https://www.newdawnwellness.com/llms/blog/honoring-the-darkness-a-winter-solstice-practice-of-release"
lastmod: "2025-12-19T01:51:00.000Z"
---

At this time of year - when the days grow shorter and darkness lingers longer - we may notice a shift within ourselves.

Some of us feel slower, less energized, less motivated to “do.”

Others respond by staying busy, rushing, filling the space—sometimes as a way to avoid what the darkness is gently asking us to feel, examine, or release.

Nature offers a different invitation.

This is the season of slowing down. Of leaves falling. Of plants turning inward and resting. There is a sacred rhythm of dormancy and decay - of composting - that makes new life possible when the light begins to return.

Winter Solstice marks the symbolic death of the old year, the old self, and old ways of being. It is a time when what no longer serves is allowed to die naturally, without force or judgment. This can include habits, identities, beliefs, relationships, grief, or stories that have completed their work in your life.

In many earth-based traditions, darkness is honored as necessary, fertile, and wise. It is not something to resist, but something to enter with reverence.

So how might we allow this season to truly nourish us?

- By embracing it rather than resisting it.
- By allowing the natural completion of this year to take its course.
- And by consciously choosing to release.

When it comes to your health or your body, this may be a powerful time to let go of old beliefs, labels, or judgments - stories about symptoms, diagnoses, or ways you feel your body has disappointed you. As these beliefs soften and fall away, space is created. And in that space, new possibilities can emerge. Something different can show up. It needs the space to do so.

As you think of your goals and intentions for next year, what is getting in the way? What is no longer serving the greatest and highest possibilities for you and your life? What needs to be acknowledged and released to make space for your dreams to come true?

During this time of more darkness than light, I invite you to give yourself permission to rest and release. It is a time to let go.

One beautiful ritual for this time of year is to write down what you wish to release, and then safely burn the paper.

I love to create a simple sacred space - candles, low lighting, and a few meaningful objects (I’m especially fond of stones gathered outside and rose quartz hearts). I allow silence and intuition to guide my writing, stopping when I naturally feel complete. Then, with gratitude, I burn the paper, honoring the ways in which what I’m releasing has served me. In doing so, I’m creating fertile ground for something new to emerge - welcoming it as I welcome the returning light in the days ahead.

If you’d like to go deeper into this theme, I invite you to join me on December 21, 2025 in Oakland or via Zoom. I’ll be co-facilitating an experiential Solstice gathering at Agape Bay Area. More details are below.

Sending much love to you and yours during this beautiful season.