Today is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the official start of winter, and it’s the longest night of the year. Tomorrow, the days will begin to lengthen, and we will begin to move towards springtime. The solstice marks a return to light from the darkness that we experience in the natural world and within ourselves.

The darkness feels particularly heavy to me right now, and I suspect many of you agree. The work and practice we do on our mats to remove obstacles and create space to shine our innermost light has never been more important. Light is powerful and transformative and it is up to each one of us to share ours. And yet, the darkness contains its own truth and wisdom. We must learn what it has to teach us.

So, let’s remember that after the darkness comes the light—we see that every night when we go to bed and wake up in the light of a new day. Let’s choose light over darkness and let’s shine brightly to light the way for ourselves and for all others. Let’s not forget: It’s easier to walk the path when it is illuminated.

You’re invited!

I invite you to do this practice with me over the next 12 nights. I’m calling it Solstice Sankalpa. Sankalpa is the yogic concept of planting the seed of intention deep within. Your sankalpa is written and internalized in the present tense. It is not a “resolution” but more of a manifesting of your desire. For example, my sankalpa is “I live in full health.” 

This type of practice is woven into many winter traditions across faiths and cultures--all tied to this important seasonal shift. So, for our 12-night solstice practice, we do the following, which is rooted in a German Rauhnachte tradition also called the 13 Wishes ritual:

1. On strips of paper, write down 13 intentions (or sankalpa), each one in the present tense. Fold each one and place all of them in a bowl.

2. Starting tonight, light a candle and take a few minutes to honor the light and warmth it offers and reflect on what brings you light in your life. Reflect on the intentions you wrote for yourself.

3. Pull one piece of paper from the bowl. DO NOT READ IT!

4. Light the slip of paper on fire, put it in a fire proof bowl and let it burn. If burning paper sounds a little risky, just tear the paper into little strips and toss it out.

5. Repeat every night for 12 nights.

6. On day 13—January 2, 2026—open the last slip of paper. READ THIS ONE. This is the intention that you will actively tend to all year. The other 12 are offered to the universe and we trust we will be supported.

In her podcast "On Being," Krista Tippet says: “We need to accompany each other right now and beyond this season, in what none of us is called to bear and do alone. To honor the many losses we scarcely know what to do with. To dwell with reverence before our exhaustion and our resilience. To cultivate the expectant waiting that is the spirit of Advent. To ponder how we want to live….”

Let me know if you do this practice and how it feels.