Today, December 21st, marks the 2020 Winter Solstice.

Now what does “Solstice” actually mean and where did it originate? According to the Farmer’s Almanac, “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). This is because during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator appears to stand still.

This Winter Solstice is extra special for several different reasons. This solstice occurs at the same exact time everywhere on the Planet. In the United States, it happened at 5:02 a.m. ET.

Now for starters, there is a rare celestial event occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. They call it The Great Conjunction. The two largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, are in conjunction, which is something that happens to every 20 years or so. However, because of how extremely close they are, this is a very very rare phenomenon. The two planets will almost overlap, forming a ‘double planet’.

According to the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society, we haven’t been able to actually see them this close since 1226. And we won’t see them this close again for many decades. The pair will set around an hour and a half after the sun does.

The planets will then begin to separate when viewed from Earth, and will disappear completely from the sky. The pair will reappear in early 2021.

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year. The Winter Solstice marks the astronomical start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and the start of the astronomical summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Now what is the spiritual significance of the Winter Solstice? This is obviously different for every religion, every practice, and each individual person.

For many cultures, the Winter Solstice marks a powerful energetic transition between the seasons.

According to Forever Conscious, “The winter solstice celebrates the longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun and is believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection. In Pagan times the winter solstice was referred to as Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess (Moon) energy. It was believed that on this day, the moon would give birth to the sun.”

Our spiritual journeys have phases, just like phases of the Sun. By celebrating the Sun, and aligning our cycles with it, our spirit is going to receive an increase of inspiring energy. There will be a raise in vibrations and Light, to help you progress along your spiritual path.

The other important part of the Solstice is to celebrate the darkness. In winter everything lies dormant. This is a necessary time of rest and reflection. The energy of winter is that of going within yourself.

Many people push away negative and dark emotions, just like they try to push away winter and darkness. However when we fear our own darkness, we are limiting our own personal power. Darkness is an important part of our journey, and it helps with transformation and growth. Experiencing and feeling our own dark thoughts, energies, and emotions, will help our Light emerge.

The Winter Solstice is essentially linked with a personal awakening.

Even if you don’t consider yourself religious or spiritual, this is still a time of quiet energy. It still gives you an incredible opportunity to look within and focus on your wants and needs.

There are many ways to celebrate the Solstice. Even if you don’t want to do a big ritual or tradition, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting. Turn the lights off, embrace the darkness, and go within yourself. Think about your past, your present, and what you want for the future.

After some quiet reflection time, light a candle and grab a pen and paper. Write down what you felt and thought.

Your thoughts, your emotions, your goals, your dreams.

What do you want to achieve? Where do you see yourself? What needs to change? What do you want for this upcoming season/year?

Don’t be hard on yourself. Let things go that no longer serve you. Be optimistic about your future.