Most often I see the solstice talked about from the perspective of: after this, everything gets lighter. That’s kind of how I’ve tended to think about it too.

But this week I heard it described as our strongest opportunity to experience and be in relationship with the night and everything that comes with the night, our longest exposure to the moon, dreams, shadows etc.

I think that’s a really nice concept. I prefer the notion of a peak of intensity and the understanding that darkness is not something to be simply endured or waited out, but in fact used positively, to a notion of time that celebrates only its passing.

I like this way of thinking about the solstice particularly because it’s quietly counter-cultural. I feel that so much of our lives is given to marking things off and being impatient about new things beginning. Particularly this year.

Celebrating the liminal and the momentarily suspended is also good I think.