‘Winter solstice is an important time in the calendar’

At 09:21 GMT on Saturday, the earth will reach its maximum tilt away from the sun and, from that point, the days will begin to lengthen again.

While many will be be getting set for a final day of Christmas consumerism, some people will be focused on the moment above and what the winter solstice means to them.

At Yorkshire Centre for Wellbeing in Harrogate, partners James Burford and Kelly-Anne Head will be marking the event with a cacao ceremony, fire ritual and drumming circle.

Mr Burford says the equinoxes, which is when the sun appears on the earth’s equator, and solstices are “significant markers” in the astrological calendar.

“We typically work with the fire ceremony as a way to set intentions and to release anything that’s not serving us,” he adds.

“So I invite participants to write down on paper things that they’re ready to let go of. Then give them a piece of kindling which they can symbolically put into the fire as a release of anything that they’re ready to release to the flames.

“Equally, we have the opportunity to call in what we choose to manifest, especially, moving into the new year, some intentions, dreams, plans for the next year.”

Ms Head explains the cacao ceremony – which Mr Burford says is like “sacred hot chocolate”.

She says: “We’re going to be working with ceremonial cacao to bring in more heart connection, because her [the cacao’s] medicine really works with the rhythm of the heart.”

Mr Burford says the event is about celebration.

“We’re here to celebrate completion of the season, moving into a new season. But it’s done in a very sacred, ritualistic way with a lot of intention and respect.”

At Sandal Castle near Wakefield, Charlotte Knaggs will be one of a group of people “drumming up the sun”.

The group has been gathering at the ruined medieval castle, site of a major Wars of the Roses battle more than 550 years ago, for solstices and equinoxes for the last two years.

Ms Knaggs says: “It was a very impromptu thing. I didn’t have intentions of continuing to do it, but here we are two years later.”

She says winter solstice is one of the eight festivals in the “wheel of the year”, a pagan practice based on Celtic and Wiccan seasonal festivals.

“Honouring that wheel of the year is a fantastic way of keeping in touch with the change of the seasons and the cycle of life and staying in touch with nature,” she says.

“As you go through the cycle you see that repeated and it really helps me to connect to that seasonal, nature-based way of living that our ancestors would have been in sync with.”

Ms Knaggs says the practice reminds her of the importance of rest in the stressful, Christmas period.

She says: “Winter is quite hard and quite stressful, and it would have been for our ancestors.

“For most of the natural world, winter is a time of quiet and inactivity, of conserving energy and we create this season of partying and merry-making and socialising.

“The lack of restorative rest can contribute to our already stressed lives.”

Whitby Wellbeing founder Daniel O’Connor is hosting a guided meditation with 20 others at a 30ft (9.1m) waterfall to mark the winter solstice.

Those taking part will be invited to take the plunge at Falling Foss Waterfall near Robin Hood’s Bay.

Mr O’Connor says the cold dip can be energising and brings numerous benefits.

“We have a small fire and we do a breathwork meditations session and then we usually go for a little dip in the waterfall,” the experienced guide says.

Luckily, there’s soup and a sauna in the carpark to warm up afterwards.

He says the solstice is an important time for reflection and planning for the future.

“It’s the recognition of deep winter and that’s a time of recognising how far you’ve come and deep rest and hibernation.

“It’s a time on the calendar of making a plan for the future.”

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