Human beings have hailed the “coming of the light” since time immemorial. In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice, or Yule, marks the darkest point of the year. Night falls early and lasts long. The earth lies barren and cold, and spring seems far off. The work of gathering or growing food slows, and people retreat indoors to their hearths. Huddled together against the dark, our early ancestors must have feared that light and warmth might never return. The rituals they created to mark the Winter Solstice were therefore full of urgency and purpose: if the mysterious powers that governed the cycling of the seasons were not properly honored and appeased, light might never again come to renew the land.

Today we have lost the intimate connection to the rhythms of the earth that our ancestors knew. Electricity, central heating, and the busy pace of modern life shelter us from the full impact of the dark season. Science reassures us that winter and spring are due to the tilt of the earth‘s axis, and not to the whim of some primeval god or spirit. But deep inside us, the old cycles keep spinning. Our skin responds to the lowered light levels of winter. Our bio-rhythms call for more sleep as the nights lengthen (though we seldom allow ourselves to have it!). The growing darkness sends a signal to our hearts that we must draw close to one another for warmth and protection. We feel, deep down, that we need each other in order to survive.

Yule is a time to strengthen the bonds of community through ritual. Even though we no longer share the superstitions of an earlier age, ritual can still play an important role in our lives. When we join hands in a circle, something powerful happens. In the old days, we might have called it “magic,” but it’s a human magic: the transforming energy that emerges from a meeting of many minds and hearts. Rituals are patterns that help us come together and share our energy. They can be as simple as the singing of a song, or as elaborate as a high-church mass. They can be performed with great seriousness, or with a lot of humour and irreverence. Either way, the experience of uniting with others in ritual is very healing. Perhaps because of our nature as mammals who evolved in packs, loneliness and isolation are hugely stressful for Homo Sapiens. The ritual circle is an antidote to loneliness. It connects and includes, transforming the individual parts into a larger, embracing whole.

You don’t need the sanction of tradition to engage in meaningful rituals. Creating rituals is really a form of play, a way of being intensely present in your life the way children naturally are. We all knew how to play as children. We can rediscover our innate creativity and playfulness if we just let go of any anxiety about “getting it right.” If we relax and trust our instincts the possibilities are endless! Start with a fire, or with a simple song. Get together with your family and friends and simply hold hands in a circle, letting the silence unite you. Rituals gain momentum the more you do them. The first year that you host a Winter Solstice bonfire and singing circle, for instance, you may feel self-conscious and apprehensive. But if you do the same thing the following year, adding new touches as you go to keep it interesting and fun, the event will have gained the weight of tradition, and you will feel more comfortable. There are many ways to bring people together: tell stories, dance, build something, make music. And don’t forget that good food and drink is important to any celebration! Breaking bread together is one of the oldest ritual communions of all.

One Winter Solstice ritual that is easy and fun for all ages is the candle-lighting ceremony. Turn off all the lights in your home. Together experience the darkness for awhile. Then light a single candle. When my oldest daughter was eight years old she created this chant to sing when the candle is lit.

Come back light, Come back Sun
Bring New Life to everyone

Have everyone in the room light and hold a candle lit from this first flame. Then go through your home and turn all the lights on until the house is ablaze!