There are 2 weeks left until Winter Solstice.  Here in Vermont, these are progressively and literally the darkest days of the year. As daylight time grows shorter and shorter, we may feel the reflection of this in our psyche, and we feel darker. 

The dark-to-light ratio turns back around - starting after Winter Solstice (this year: December 21 at 11:19 pm ET) – toward longer, brighter days that bring out hope for the spring, and often, a sunnier outlook. 

Until then (and long after the date & time marking the turnaround) it can be tough to get through the long, dark days of winter.  

When it’s dark outside, it’s more difficult to remember & embrace the Light Essence of who we are.

In the song Woodstock, Joni Mitchell wrote that:

We are Stardust.

When stuck in internal darkness, it’s hard to tap into our internal sparkly Light.

I am reminded of a line from the Indigo Girls’ song Closer to Fine:

Well Darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable. And Lightness has a call that’s hard to hear…

Inner darkness feels thick, mucky & sticky, and has a magnetic & downward pull. Inner darkness is like quicksand. It takes some doing to pull up & out of inner darkness. 

Whenever there is a hand – ready and able to help you out - grab on. 

In Closer to Fine, the Indigo Girls also suggest that:

There’s more than one answer to these questions, pointing in a crooked line.

Don’t worry about who the hand is attached to.  Grab on, get to ground level, and breathe air back into your Soul.

Here’s a hand, should you need it…

How to get through the Winter Blues:

1.       Close your eyes.

2.      Allow your feelings. All of them. Each and every one that emerges.

3.      Allow them to enter the home of your Mind-space. Acknowledge them as they enter.

4.      Greet them as honored guests. Give them a comfortable place to sit and a warm cup of tea.  

5.      Welcome them into the home of your Heart-space.  Let them crawl into your lap. Hold them in your arms. Let them express themselves. Comfort them.

6.      Notice when JOY arrives. Welcome and hold Joy equally in your Mind-Heart-Home. Notice Joy holding hands with the other feelings. Notice how they appreciate each other.

7.      Invite ALL feelings to collectively breathe in peace, and collectively breathe out peace.

8.     Ask them: What does fun look like for you? What makes you smile? Laugh?  What fills your heart? What makes you happy and grateful to be alive?

9.      Allow them to brainstorm.

10.  Write down this list as it grows.

11.   Do the things on your list that you can do.

12.  Keep coming back to breathing in peace & breathing out peace - to allowing feelings to emerge - and to comforting them, within the peaceful breath.

13. Remind all your emotions – all your parts – your whole self: I am Light. 

14. Say it out loud. Write it down. Post it. Say it to yourself. Say it to others.

15.  Allow your Self to shine.

16.  Hold space for Others to shine.

17.   Allow others to Shine.

Remember - we are each and every one of us, first and foremost - Beings of Light.