Winter Rest

R E S T

verb

1.cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.

To    R E S T    in 2022 is a radical, revolutionary, evolutionary act. 

To pause and deeply let our bones rest is not something we 21st century humans do easily or with much ease.

Let the word    R  E  S  T    drop slowly into your bones 

Or try these words

Pause

Stop

Cease work

Ease up

Lie down

Take a breather

Relax

Do nothing 

Withdraw

Sleep 

How do they land in your body?

In the Irish language the word for Solstice is Grianstad which means sun stops. It happens twice a year in midwinter and midsummer. Those two resting points of polarity are connected. 

Here in the northern hemisphere at the days around the Winter Solstice nature slows right down, rests, becomes quiet and still. The Cailleach, the dark Goddess Crone, roams the land calling the life force to withdraw into the deep belly of the earth, the seeds to become dormant, and wise wild animals hibernate.

We human animals have lost the ability to answer the Cailleach’s call to rest. Lost our ability to drop everything, to drop deep into the renewing pulse of the quiet dark midwinter. Rest is not rewarded in our modern light and speed obsessed world. 

But we humans are nature. 

Beautiful wise Pulsing cyclical Beings.

We’ve just forgotten how 

to stop

to rest 

to switch off. 

Shhhh, Shhhh  It's, oh, so quiet

Shhhh Shhhh  It's, oh, so still

Silent night holy night

In these days of Grianstad an Gheimhridh is a pause, a slow renewing beat underneath all the Christmas lights, and pressure to be up, out and on. 

Can you feel it in your bones? 

It’s there

I promise you. 

Even if you don’t have access to it right now. 

Nature will show you how again. Go out in nature and let her show you.

It doesn't mean we have to cease the fun, the craic and partying.  

Sure, Mama Nature loves exuberant displays and wild partying.

She knows how to do both

The quiet resting of Winter and the riotous flamboyant blooming of Summer 

She knows they are connected. She knows how they dance. 

Our ancestors knew that too and honoured both/and at the festival of the Winter Solstice.

Underneath all the layers of conditioning,

you know too.

The slow renewing pulse is in your bones. When you get quiet you will feel it and will hear the Cailleach’s insistent call.  

Tóg Sos (Take a rest)

They are calling you to rest. 

To rest.

Image credit: Katiekk2