Happy Holidays and Happy Winter Solstice!  December 21st marks the shortest day and longest night of the year here in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of daylight. I know this blog reaches many parts of the globe but regardless of what the weather is doing outside your window, the solstice marks the official start of winter.

The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.

So what does that mean, exactly? Upon the winter solstice, the Sun appears at its lowest in the sky, and its noontime elevation seems to stay the same for several days before and after this day. The Sun’s gradual decrease in the sky reverses upon the winter solstice, marking what many cultures believe to be a “rebirth” of the Sun as the hours of daylight become longer.

Essentially, our hours of daylight—the period of time each day between sunrise and sunset—have been growing slightly shorter each day since the summer solstice last June, which is the longest day of the year (at least in terms of light). After December 21, the days will begin to grow longer and will continue to do so until we reach the summer solstice again, and begin the whole cycle anew.

The Sun, the moon, the energy of the seasons are all wisdoms that appeared on my Yoga and Ayurveda path.  When I became more attuned to living within these cycles I found more balance and ease within my body.  

Winter is a powerful and healing time that invites us into the energy of restoration, receptivity, stillness and wholeness.  On the surface, winter appears to be dormant and cold. But underneath, powerful integration and transformation is happening at the seed level.  By turning within and honoring this natural process, we are able to tap into our potential for growth in the new year.   

I have found that going on a retreat is one of the most direct ways to deepen our embodiment of compassion and awareness. On retreat, we stop, slow down, and savor our vibrant aliveness.  We are guided in practices that allow the habitual patterns of the conditioned mind to melt away so that we can remember who we are at our deepest level.  My Girlfriends Guru 2021 Winter energy retreat will look much different this year.  I am limiting the numbers to a dozen women to work closely with.  

This weekend is for women only and will include the practices of meditation, movement and conscious community.  Sound healings and yoga nidra sessions facilitate alignment with the desire for deep rest, not simply by sleeping, but by resting into one’s essence.  All yoga sessions will be gentle and restorative yoga designed to improve your flexibility, let go of stress and regain balance and ease in your body.  Other activities will include creating 2021 vision boards,  Drawing Oracle Cards, Essential Oils, and 1:1 mentoring sessions. 

I am excited to announce the theme of this year’s Girlfriends Guru Winter Energy Retreat is “A Women’s Intuition - Come As You Are, Leave As You Want To Be.” set for the weekend of February 19th - 21st at Eagles Nest in the Mountains of North Carolina.  You can find more information and resources on my website girlfriendsguru.com.  

It is my greatest hope that while we may be small in numbers, the opportunity to have this experience lands on the right hearts and you are able to secure a spot before the retreat fills.  I encourage anyone interested to go ahead and register now knowing that there will be a refund policy if we have to go back to “covid cancelled.”  But right now, I am looking forwards and not backwards!  I am focusing on helping anyone who wants to use winter energy as an opportunity to renew, recharge and reconnect with what’s most important in their life.  The winter solstice marks the days getting longer - growing!  Let’s tap into that growth mindset and take 48  hours to design a life you love and be the woman you were meant to be!

I am here to support you on your transformational journey into your heart space where you can allow that inner voice to emerge and move through life with joy and emerge more deeply inspired to move more powerfully onto your path.   The light in me sees and honors the light lit brightly within you - together let’s find our wings and fly!