Winter solstice, frozen sphere with winter background
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Winter Solstice Reflection: Mental Wellness Rituals

ByMasha Wasilewsky

For self-care around mental wellness, the winter solstice provides a great opportunity for productive introspection.  Soothing, bolstering rituals can help you with this introspection process. The Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice will take place on December 21, 2025. Consider incorporating even a few reflective moments during this solstice. A walk outside, perhaps during the evening, could be one forum for reflection. This yearly occurrence offers an atmospheric setting for observing the beauty around you. Meaningful ways to enjoy this day may help you find wonderful balance and clarity.

Winter Solstice Information

For the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice for this year is approaching. This solstice happens on December 21, 2025. This solstice marks the moment of least daylight in the year. It is also the point with the most nighttime hours. After this point, daylight moments, which had been decreasing, begin to increase again.

For millennia, the winter solstice has been a significant point each year in many cultures. Stonehenge, for instance, is an edifice built in England that links to the winter solstice. In winter, this link between Stonehenge and the solstice is evident at sunset. This construction is designed to create a beautiful display in combination with the setting sun.

People take time to honor this yearly event in a variety of ways. The solstice can be a reason to connect through celebration. The arrival of the solstice can also be a prompt for thought. Purposeful reflection is a wonderful way to spend this momentous time of year. There are multiple ways to check in with yourself during this time. Look at ways that work for you. Reflection over the winter solstice can allow you can learn a little about yourself.

Writing in a Journal and Setting Intentions

According to The Qi, “reflecting on the year can help foster a sense of peace.” One way to do this is to create a mental wellness ritual around journaling. A journal can be a place to gather and explore your reflective thoughts. Gratitude can be a topic of your journal writing.

Another topic can be letting go of unhelpful ideas and habits. You may be living your life according to an internal conceptual framework that no longer fits. Make this session of journal writing momentous. Write down on a journal page the things you want to move on from. Then, either rip the page out or just purposefully close the journal. Let this process symbolize the act of moving forward in your life.

Another reflection process you can go through for the winter solstice is intention setting. Setting intentions involves making plans for the future and cultivating a proactive mindset. Put yourself in the headspace for a healthy, joyful, and productive life. Consider what you might want to do to nurture happiness in yourself and others. Think about areas of your life you feel are working. Thoughtfully brainstorm ways to address unmet needs. Generate ideas about how you can incorporate kindness and self-care. Create a ritual that provides an atmosphere for reflecting on your new intentions. Candlelight, for instance, can help set the scene. 

Find Reflection in Nature

Writing down reflections and intentions can help your mental well-being immediately and in the future. Spending time in nature during the winter solstice can also benefit mental wellness. The Qi explains: “Winter landscapes offer quiet solitude, encouraging reflection and grounding.” On this meaningful day, take a walk. If you like, this walk can even be at night. This can be a mental wellness ritual to allow you to mindfully notice your surroundings. The stars and streetlights scintillate. The brisk winter air is fresh. Pay attention to it all, and let the experience connect you with your environment. Appreciate any insights that appear about new possibilities for your life.

Nurturing Mental Wellness During the Winter Solstice

Taking a moment for your mental wellness is a terrific winter solstice activity. This annual event is treasured as an opportunity for reflection and celebration. Reflect on the past, and set intentions for the future. Do all of this with an energy of gentle self-care. For instance, engage with the beauty of nature by taking a nighttime solstice walk. This can prompt lovely moments of reflection as you quietly observe gorgeous winter details. It can also help you notice and celebrate the amazingness of your surroundings. Having rituals that nurture your mental wellness during this time can renew your internal energy.

Masha Wasilewsky joins Total Apex from the education sphere. She has taught in the United States, Italy, and Thailand. In addition, she has been a writer in the EdTech space.

She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Pomona College and an M.A.T. in English Education from Boston University. She also holds an M.A. in English from Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English and an M.Ed. in Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

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