You may notice that today is the winter solstice, the official start of winter in the northern hemisphere.
The winter solstice held ritual significance for ancient cultures, marking one of the turning points of the solar year – the shortest day and the longest night.
From here, almost imperceptibly, the days get longer and the nights shorter.
The Yule Log Burned on the Darkest Days
The traditional burning of the Yule log across the British Isles and several European cultures has fascinating origins. In the darkest days of winter, people felled the largest tree with great ceremony and burned it to bring prosperity and protect against evil in the coming year.
One imagines that this festive ritual of fire and light helped them struggle through winter to spring. Today, many people say they look forward to the lift they get from the festive holiday lights.
The Winter Survival Light
I’ve often considered my light therapy light my winter survival light. I couldn’t make it through the season without it. And I’m glad I didn’t have to cut it down and drag it through the woods to get it home!
Light – enough of it – is central to our biology, our cultures and our history.
So if you’re energy has bottomed out because the sun is not shining, don’t beat yourself up that you shouldn’t feel that way. Our ancestors figured this out hundreds of years ago. Light is important.
Use this point in the year to decide that you won’t lose this winter to feeling lousy and waiting desperately for spring. Use the information here to help you buy a light therapy light.
And there’s more good stuff coming to help you beat the wintertime blues.
Cheers!
