The Solstice and Storytelling
How The Darkest Time of Year Can Bring To Light The Importance Of Passing Down Stories
Hello and a Happy solstice to all. With the winter solstice comes the darkest time of the year when the sun’s rays shine for a shorter period of time allowing the world to shut down. These extra hours of darkness help give us an opportunity to reflect, reminisce and look inward.
During this time of year, it’s important to consider the significance of storytelling. The holiday season looks different for everyone - some choose to spend this time surrounded by a community of family and friends while others like to take this opportunity to take it easy, enjoying the company of a close few or even just themselves. Regardless of what this time of year looks like for you, you may be choosing to spend some of this time telling stories.
These stories may be used to update those you haven’t seen in some time, they may be stories from holidays past, or they may be fond memories sparked by traveling somewhere you haven’t been in some time. Whatever your stories may be, they serve as a communication tool and a window into the life you continue to cultivate.
Historically, stories were how history was recorded. Culture, history, religion, and law continued to be passed down from generation to generation through storytelling. We can thank these thorough and gracious storytellers for giving us access to knowledge and history from ancient times far before the ability to record what was transpiring with pen and paper. Today, while we of course have access to materials to hold our stories for as long as we wish to have them, we still choose to orally communicate stories when we are together.
The darkness brought upon us by the solstice helps to maximize our desire to tell stories as it requires us to turn inward exploring what is inside amidst the quiet outside. While Summer is a time for us to explore the outdoors since everything is ripe and ready and warm and our energy is high, during winter we tend to shut out the cold and get cozy inside and explore our inner world.
For those of you familiar with shamanic journeying, you may have had the chance to explore certain animal stories you have connected to your totem. One of my totems is a polar bear and the story I like to tell myself about the polar bear is one of ferocity and humility. While a polar bear must be ferocious to protect her young, hunt for food, and defend her territory, she is primarily a calm and gracious creature. Polar bears spend a lot of time walking and swimming and of course, teaching their young. During this time of year, I like to look inward and ask, what stories do I tell myself about the polar bear, and how do those stories relate to my inner world? This is because for some, shamanic journeying allows you to see totems or more specifically, animal totems that represent aspects of yourself and in turn, tell the story of who you are.
Another opportunity for storytelling during this time comes from the stories that exist around the holidays. While the stories behind winter holidays have changed over time, it is important to remember the original stories that surround them. Displaying themes of belief and hope, these ancient narratives tell of the importance of light overcoming darkness.
As a member of the Jewish culture, I am often inspired by the story of Hanukkah which tells of the brave Maccabees holding strong to their Jewish faith and refusing to submit to the religious demand of their Greek oppressors. Barricading themselves inside the temple they were left with only enough oil to allow the candles that were keeping them warm to burn for a single day. Through a miracle of hope and strength, the oil lasted 8 days until a messenger was able to return with more. Thus today, Jews celebrate the 8 nights of Hanukkah honoring the strength and bravery shown by their ancestors.
It is interesting to note that while we welcome this time of year with stories of light, lights on our homes, and on our trees, the solstice is a time of darkness or the absence of light. This concept lends itself to a more pagan belief. Seeing as we all have ancestry in pagan culture, which centers on close ties to the earth, it’s no coincidence that we feel a vast change in our energy as the darkness seems to blanket our world. Yet we know that even when the light is dim, our memories and stories of the light keep us hopeful and confident that the light will return.
One of my teachers in Oaxaca talks about showing gratitude to all the elements, especially the light. She talks about the sun calling it “the poor man’s blanket” due to the fact that it is the sun that keeps us warm. The sun is also necessary for the process of photosynthesis directly relating to how food is grown and is an essential part of life.
The absence of light during this time of year allows us to feel gratitude for its importance in our existence because we recognize how challenging it is to live without sun-light. We embrace the struggles brought on by darkness because we hold onto stories and tales of light and how we know the light will come back. These are very important stories for us to remember because while we may feel dark or heavy during this time of year, we know we can rely on the fact that the light will come back.
If I can leave you with one thing, it’s the power of telling stories. Telling stories by the fire, telling stories with friends, reminding us of the miracle of light in all its forms. Darkness reminds us to be grateful for the brighter days and reminds us that they are always ahead. It’s a part of a perfect dance - the balance of the universe.
If you are interested in sharing or creating stories to tell for years to come, visit Reflective Healing’s Events Page. We often offer women’s circles, retreats, and other community gatherings that provide space to share stories and their importance.