Why Do We Fear Our Own Darkness?
Why do we suppress the parts of ourselves that long to be seen? The shadow aspects—the anger, grief, shame, longing—that we exile to the forgotten corners of our subconscious. We are taught that these emotions are inconvenient, burdensome, too heavy to carry. So we shove them down, unaware that they are still there, lingering in the depths of our lineage, whispering through the echoes of our ancestors.
But here’s the truth: our shadow is not something to be feared. It is a sacred part of us, waiting for acknowledgment. The Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, invites us to embrace this darkness—to step into the unknown and reclaim the parts of ourselves we have abandoned.
This is not just personal work; this is ancestral work. The wounds you carry did not begin with you. They have been passed down, generation after generation, waiting for someone strong enough to break the cycle.
The Winter Solstice is a portal—an invitation to sit with what aches, to hold what has been left behind, and to transmute pain into power.
Winter Solstice Rituals for Releasing & Rebirth
The Winter Solstice on December 21st marks the turning of the wheel, the transition from darkness into light. While the new year brings a cultural obsession with resolutions, the solstice offers something deeper—a time to pause, reflect, and set intentions that honor the cycles of nature and the soul.
🔥 Fire Ceremony for Ancestral Release & Rebirth
Fire is a sacred force of transformation—burning away what no longer serves, clearing space for what is to come. This solstice, create a fire release ritual to sever ties with the burdens you are ready to let go of.
How to Perform a Fire Ceremony:
Write a Letter of Release: Name the patterns, relationships, or beliefs you are ready to release—ancestral fears, karmic cycles, outdated identities.
Set Your Intention: Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and visualize cords dissolving, attachments softening, and space opening within you.
Offer It to the Flames: Burn your letter in a fire-safe bowl, a candle flame, or an outdoor bonfire. As the smoke rises, envision yourself unburdened.
Express Gratitude: Place your hands on your heart and give thanks for the lessons learned. Even pain has wisdom to offer.
Why This Works: Fire carries the power of energetic release, helping to transmute stagnant emotions and karmic imprints. By releasing what no longer serves you, you clear the path for ancestral healing and soul-level transformation.
🌿 Honoring the Earth & Ancestral Wisdom
Our ancestors lived in rhythm with the earth, honoring her cycles as sacred. Reconnecting with nature’s wisdom during the solstice deepens our healing work and strengthens our ties to the lineage that came before us.
Ways to Honor the Earth This Solstice:
Create an Ancestral Altar: Gather natural elements—pine, holly, mistletoe, or fallen branches—to represent your connection to the land and your lineage.
Offer Gratitude to the Land: Go into nature and leave offerings of herbs, flowers, or spoken words of thanks to honor the spirits of the earth.
Cleanse & Renew Your Home: Use smoke cleansing (such as cedar, rosemary, or bay leaves) to clear stagnant energy and invite in fresh intention.
When we honor the land, we honor those who walked it before us. This is a powerful way to reconnect with our ancestral roots and call in their wisdom.
💧 Water Ritual for Dissolving Attachments
Water holds memory. It absorbs emotion, carries intention, and washes away what we are ready to release. This simple yet potent ritual harnesses the element of water to dissolve attachments and clear ancestral wounds.
How to Perform a Water Ritual:
Prepare Your Water: Use moon water, spring water, or even tap water—intention is what matters most.
Write Down What You’re Releasing: Old wounds, past versions of yourself, relationships, or beliefs that no longer serve your highest good.
Speak It Into the Water: Hold the water in your hands and read your words aloud. Let the energy of release infuse into the water’s memory.
Let It Be Carried Away: Leave the water under the moon overnight. In the morning, return it to the earth—pour it onto the ground, a body of water, or even down the drain, knowing it will be transformed.
Why This Works: Water absorbs our intentions and emotions, allowing us to release and transmute heavy energy into lightness and clarity.
The Solstice Calls Us to Rest, Reflect & Reclaim Ourselves
Winter is not a time for forcing, for hustling, for proving. It is a season of turning inward, of embracing stillness, of allowing the old to die so the new can be born.
Yet in a world that glorifies productivity, true rest has become a privilege rather than a necessity. We push forward, exhausted, disconnected from the rhythms of nature and our own bodies.
But you don’t have to participate in this cycle. This solstice, ask yourself:
How can I invite more rest into my life?
Where can I slow down, soften, and listen to my body’s needs?
What would it feel like to move with, rather than against, the natural flow of life?
Simple Ways to Embrace Rest:
✔ Say no to social obligations that drain you.
✔ Carve out moments of silence, even just 10 minutes a day.
✔ Let go of the pressure to “fix” yourself—honor where you are.
✔ Give yourself permission to move through grief, joy, stillness, and transformation at your own pace.
Rest is not a luxury. It is a radical act of self-preservation.
Embracing the Darkness to Call in the Light
When we resist our own shadows, we remain fragmented—disconnected from the wholeness of who we are. The Winter Solstice is an opportunity to sit with what has been buried, to listen to the wisdom of our wounds, and to reclaim our power.
This is the work of ancestral and karmic healing. When you heal yourself, you heal the lineage that came before you. The generational burdens you release today create space for future generations to walk a different path.
So, take this solstice as an invitation. Step into the darkness. Ask the questions you’ve been afraid to ask. Honor the pain that has shaped you, and allow it to guide you home.
You are not alone in this work. Your ancestors walk with you. Your soul remembers. The light is returning.
Happy Solstice, dear one. May this season bring you deep rest, renewal, and the courage to stand fully in your truth. 🌙✨
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm Emily Rose
Karmic & Ancestral Healing Guide
I am here to walk beside you—as a gentle companion, witness, & guide—as you find your way back to yourself. I understand the ache of disconnection, the weight of old stories holding you back. True healing isn’t rushed; it unfolds slowly, like a steady breath, inviting you to embrace the tender parts of yourself that have long awaited care. With a unique blend of somatic healing, energy therapy, hypnosis, art, NLP, & compassionate presence, I offer a space where you are fully seen & met without judgment. Many who come to me have longed to be truly held in their truth. Here, you are understood, honored, & supported on your path to transformation.
