Baltimore Reclaiming Celebrates Winter Solstice 2020
Date: Dec 19, 2020
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm (Zoom Room opens at 6:45)
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4942898732?pwd=ZWhvZjBDcUdxeWZOMVZGMENsSVZxZz09
Meeting ID: 494 289 8732
Passcode: 1234
Intention: "We look into our shadows, plant ourselves in magic, and trust..."
There has been a lot of time for introspection this year. This time has been foisted upon us. Perhaps we allowed ourselves to embrace it, perhaps there were moments where we really needed it, but at least for me, it wasn’t always welcome. I wasn’t ready, it felt out of alignment, and often it was downright debilitating.
Although things may still feel out of alignment, what may be comforting is that the invitation to introspection is now supported by the Turning of the Wheel. Winter Solstice calls for us to face our shadow and gives us the much needed guidance for this journey. Bestowed upon us now is the gift of darkness. In this darkness we can focus on what is most essential inside of us, the components of the seeds of our souls.
This Winter Solstice, we find ourselves planted and learn to nestle into the safety of this time. We will work with story to tap into memory and communicate with our shadows; finding what needs to be sat with, acknowledged more, or released. This work will culminate in ensuring that we fill in the cracks of our shadows with warmth and joy; acknowledging what has served us in traumatic times, giving more attention to pieces that lay forgotten, or letting go of what is no longer for us. Although this work can be painful and tiring, we trust the magick that brought us to it to see us through it.
Some things that may enrich your ritual experience would be:
- Some “shadow pieces” to work with; this could be old journal pages, writing down on loose paper something you’re working through, magazine pictures, small art pieces representing your shadow work, etc...
- A cozy spot, complete with a blanket or something else snuggly
- A jar or cup to put your worries or other shadow pieces into
- A writing implement
- A SAFE way to destroy paper (submerge it water, burn it if you can SAFELY)
We will open the Zoom room at 6:45 pm to meet and mingle and our ritual will begin at 7pm. Our online rituals have been lasting about an hour and half long and we will keep the room open until 9 pm for post-ritual chats. Although we meet online, Reclaiming events are still clean and sober and there will be Zoom priestesses available to help with any tech issues.
Below, you can find the story guiding the creation of this ritual:
The solstice is a time of shadow work and self-reflection. The darkest night of the year brings in solitude and a burning desire for change and transformation. Without the dark night of the soul, there will be no rebirth in the spring. During the darkest times, it may feel like we’re being buried but in reality, we’ve been planted.
My stomach dropped in excitement that first winter’s night my friends and I gathered to Travel. My friend Long John had been the first to bring up Traveling to our coven: “I’ve heard it’s easy. If you focus just right on a fire as you jump over it on the Solstice, it can take you anywhere. See, when the chemical bonds that create the fire break, everything changes. Solstice is also a time where the gates in heaven are changing, so it magnifies the effect. If you’re thinking just right, if you remember anything can happen, you can control what happens and open a portal to another place.”
It sounded like something out of a computer game, but the idea grew in us like seeds.
I had never seen Hawaii. But I began to imagine it nightly, youtubing the sound of waves, and even mixing salt in water to try and smell the ocean. When the night finally came that my friends had gathered wood for the fire, I thought I was ready.
Filling my mind with images of Hawaii-- plumeria blossoms, crashing waves, surfboards, I steeled myself for the next step. I started to run towards the flames-- but, no. What if I fell in? What if this actually worked? What if it worked but only halfway? This felt so risky. I backed up, and looked at the fire again. I watched two friends jump the fire-- landing safely on the other side. Would one of us open a portal tonight? I took a breath, and calmed myself down. My turn again. I heard the crashing of the waves, and I became one as I rushed towards the fire. My fears slid away in my wake as I crashed over the rocks and benches, towards the firepit.. Leapt over it. “Hawaii!” i shouted, jumping over the top….and landed. Face first in a snow drift. Not quite the wave I wanted, but I biffed it like a pro surfer in training. Maybe one day I’d actually be catching real waves.
For now I lay there catching my breath. After my friends were done laughing at me, they continued to try their own Traveling. Listening to the crackling flames, I looked up. The crescent moon was lighting us well, and there were millions of stars. The cool of the snow drift after the fire was a balm for my disappointment. Even though I didn’t go anywhere, it felt like I had braved a fire and traveled into a new me, with all the universe watching.
We are all so connected with nature that we mimic it. We become just as still as the bare trees. Bare, so we can be transparent and self reflect. There aren’t any leaves to hide behind, just you and the stillness
I sat on the floor by the fireplace watching the flames as they created pictures and feelings inside of me. The light outside had disappeared a little while ago and the flames were already starting the work of holding the night. They were bombarding me with images of the year gone by. I laughed as I remembered that first Solstice fire. Then I kind of cringed as I thought about the things that I had not accomplished, the people I had not stayed in touch with. But I also saw images of the joy from last year. Last Yule and all of the beauty of friends gathered around this fire. It is quiet this year. That makes sense. This night is supposed to be about reflection and planning for the year ahead. But I couldn’t help but think that it will be a very long time before the sun rises. Time passes slower alone, and this is deep and serious work. It’s really not easy being a witch. Other people are dressing up and trick-or-treating while we sit at home having serious conversations with our beloved dead. Then, while everyone is going to parties and sharing drinks and gifts, we are up all night facing our fears, learning to be silent with ourselves and trying to remember that the light always returns. I wouldn’t have it any other way though. It is a life of learning and growing, always. I write frantically as thoughts come to mind. In this place of exhaustion it is sometimes difficult to put together words. But somehow they always make sense in the morning. Throughout the night there had been a couple of lights dangling from the Windows, hopefully bringing joy to those outside. Now, the lights seem to be getting dimmer as the sky is turning pink. I will not put any more logs on the fire. It is time to let the last transformations take place. I wonder for a minute. How is it that there is always a little bit of the Yule log left. Just enough to start the fire the following year. Just enough to carry us forward to the next cycle. And now the fire inside is almost out and the fire in the sky is rising. I put on my heavy winter coat and go out to greet it. The snow is just beginning to fall. It tickles my nose and drips into my mouth and I smile. I laughs a little bit about myself. This year has been difficult for all of us. But honestly, things are exactly as they are supposed to be and all we really have to do is trust that the wheel will turn. That, and remember to go outside and play in the snow.
The solstice helps us to heal so we can grow bright and prosperous. I knew magick was real when I started to look at my traumas and heal. The moment when I fixed my way of thinking was the moment my life dramatically changed for the better.
During these dark hours, we may experience darker energies as our bodies adapt to new vibrations. I’d like to think that I’ve been solid on my journey, but there are days where my lower self is triggered.
But, it is during the dark night of the soul you realize you are not alone despite my lower vibrational actions.
One might ask, what is shadow work? It is the ability to become introspective so we can heal, live a more authentic and fulfilling life. As enchanting as this may sound this process can feel like we’re being broken down, swallowed, and spit back up to be transformed. It is still during these times where you need to be kind to yourself and ask our beloved ancestors to guide you.
~~~
Financial Contributions: In keeping with the Principles of Unity, no one is ever turned away from a Baltimore Reclaiming ritual for lack of funds. When we were able to hold in-person rituals the monies collected at ritual went to paying for facility rental, supplies (candles, lights, small tokens to hand out, etc), and often to fund a donation to a local activist or charity organization. Since the 2020-2021 Ritual Arc is taking place online many of these expenses are reduced or eliminated. Instead the RPC intends to use the funds raised in ritual to pay marginalized witches for their labor, supporting anti-racism work in Baltimore Reclaiming, and funding activities planned by other Baltimore Reclaiming cells. Please give as generously as you are able so we can support the ongoing effort to Decolonize Reclaiming!
Who is Baltimore Reclaiming? We are a group of witches, artists, pagans, healers, activists, queers, priestesses, anarchists, theater geeks, feminists, and other good humans. We see our work as teaching and making magic: the art of empowering ourselves and each other. In our classes, workshops, and public rituals, we train our voices, bodies, energy, intuition, and minds. We use the skills we learn to deepen our strength, both as individuals and as community, to voice our concerns about the world in which we live, and bring to birth a vision of a new culture. We gather, mostly on the Sabbats, to work magic, often for personal healing and also for the healing of our society and planet. We believe that the work we do together in our sacred circles really can change the world.
Drugs & Alcohol: All Baltimore Reclaiming events are drug and alcohol free. We respectfully request that you do not use drugs or alcohol before or while attending our events.
What to Expect: New to Baltimore Reclaiming? Visit this page on our website to learn more about what to expect at an event. https://www.baltimorereclaiming.org/rituals
Dress Code: Wear whatever you like! You are welcome to wear everything from jeans and a t-shirt to a tuxedo. Often, people like to wear something special for ritual which might mean a favorite dress, a special shawl, a flower crown, or something else. We encourage you to wear whatever you feel most comfortable in.