Winter Solstice – The shortest day of the year. Yule celebrations.

Time for a final harvest of any fruit and vegetables or herbs we have been growing. Time to prepare and time to share a meal with family. Candle light, a table centre piece with a yule log and some fresh sprigs of herbs and fragrant plants.

Time to release what we no longer need, to let it go. Time to reassess and get some new projects started. Snuggle up with a book, or a movie, maybe with pen and paper in hand and start writing. Take note of what we write down, what we need to release and what we want to start anew.

Fresh herbs (or dried herbs) to add to the table centre piece – rosemary, sage, peppermint, lavender

Crystals to help focus and clarify– clear quartz, sodalite, lapis lazuli. Add some incense or essential oils, maybe relax in a bath. Try a Tarot card or oracle card spread to help clarify. Setting intentions for the rest of the winter season.

Sleepless nights

Do you have mornings where you wake up exhausted, having had no sleep because of severe pain, aches and or brain whirl and worry about health, or money, family or creatures on the roof? Maybe it’s light outside, there is a full moon, or dogs are barking.

A lack of sleep as a one off, rare occasion can make the day challenging….many days in a row like that and we can find daily tasks challenging and frustrating.

Some tips for an easier night’s sleep

• Don’t watch TV just before sleep
• Don’t eat a heavy meal, or chocolate, sweets within an hour or two before bed
• No coffee or fizzy drinks either
• Try a relaxing bath or shower
• Diffuse lavender and frankincense oil
• Read a book
• Simple stretching exercises
• Meditation
• Breathing exercises

For those empaths among us, it is important to understand and wash away the emotions and physical issues we have picked up from others, before we go to sleep. Stay tuned for my next blog, where I will talk about this in more detail.