One of the viewpoints common in Pagan spiritual practice involves our perception of the flow of time. We see the passage of the seasons as a yearly cycle, often referred to as the Wheel of the Year. Our experience of that Wheel shifts back and forth between light and darkness: the brighter, growing half of the year and the darker, rooting half of the year. We passed the autumnal equinox – a time when day and night are of equal length – in September. From now until the winter solstice in December, the days will grow shorter and the nights longer.
For many Pagans, this time of year is one where we begin to focus our energy inward. We wrap up summer projects and activities and start contemplating the season ahead. Like our ancestors, many of us prepare for the challenges we know are coming. We begin to create winter tonics for health and the prevention of illness. We make Fire Cider (a spicy, vinegar-based concoction of vegetables, herbs, and spices), honey-fermented garlic cloves, ginger-citrus tea blends, and more.
Along with practical tasks like making cold and flu remedies, we prepare our homes for more time spent indoors. In Pagan culture, the darker, colder months are a time to rest and recover, read or study, or engage in a craft or project of some kind. This practice is referred to as Winter Work and can range from deeply personal self-reflection to creating art to learning a new skill. Working with our homes to create a comforting space supportive of our Winter Work during the dark season is common right now. Continue reading…
