A mindful pause to welcome Winter
Tales of Travel, Writing, and Reflection: The Magic of the Solstice✨
Hello sweet friend!
Welcome to this Mindful Pause.
As always, I invite you to grab a cup of coffee, tea, or your favourite cozy beverage, and take a few minutes to enjoy these words. 🍵
The holidays are here, and I am excited to end the year in the warmth of Florida. 🌞
I have spent the last few weeks in Barcelona enjoying the crisp Autumn weather and the sunshine, but November also led me to the picturesque city of Dublin for a week of work with the lovely folks from the Culture Team at Hubspot.
I had never been to Ireland.
I love putting my feet on new soil, so to speak. Wandering through streets I have never wandered through; getting a little taste of a new culture, even if just for a few days.
I got to make new friends and meet up with old ones; I had moments of panic and moments of utter bliss. And they were all just as valuable.
When I am in a new country alone, somewhere I have never been before, there is a part of me that feels anxiety, and even fear, but instead of letting those feelings take over, I love watching myself move through and overcome them.
It’s part of the experience of discovering the world, and myself.
With an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves. - Brené Brown.
Once I got back from Ireland, I settled into a good rhythm of writing new articles, filming yoga classes and meditations, and wandering the streets for inspiration so that I can continue writing my contemporary fiction novel.
During one of my morning strolls through the streets of the Gothic Quarter, right before I returned to the States, I scurried around and through the mass of people with my new December playlist as the soundtrack for each of my steps.
I moved through an ocean of locals hurrying to work with their gaze glued to the floor and amongst tourists meandering with the awe of someone experiencing the architecture and character of the old city for the first time.
I sat at one of my favourite cafes, tucked in a corner right behind the Barcelona Cathedral, and I took out my notebook to jot down some dialogue pieces.
A few tables over, two young American men carrying backpacks enjoyed cheap lattes and shared a piece of steamy focaccia.
I took a sip of my coffee and looked up at the magnificence of the Barcelona Cathedral as the sun descended. A string of twinkling Christmas lights cascaded over the large glass windows reminding me it was almost Winter.
Only a few hours and a couple of flights later, I find myself spending the Winter Solstice halfway around the world, in Florida.
The Solstice is a time to connect with nature's cycles, acknowledging the stillness and turning inward.
It invites us to pause and reflect, resisting the urge to leap into the future, starting to set intentions for 2024, and instead, grounding ourselves in the present moment.
If you want to, take some time to grab a pen and paper, and join me in this exercise:
Can you pause to consider the grief you have felt for the things you lost? The lightness you’ve gained from the shit you finally released? The knowledge you acquired through the challenges you encountered?
Can you cultivate gratitude for the experiences that shaped your path this year?
Express gratitude not just for the highs and successes but also for the lessons learned in the lows and the strength found in adversity.
Remember: in the stillness, there is wisdom, and in reflection, there is growth.
Here are some of the things that are keeping me grounded and cozy this season:
WINTER SOLSTICE CEREMONY
If you’d like to spend some time in ritual to celebrate the Solstice, check out this event by East Forest; more than 3 hours of music and ceremony!
INSPIRING READS
I’ve fallen into a wonderful rabbit hole of reading everything that I can by Haruki Murakami, so allow me to recommend two of his works for this week’s picks, both fiction and non-fiction:
- Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (fiction)
- What I Talk About When I Talk About Writing (non-fiction)
MOVEMENT PRACTICE
And finally, here is a gentle practice I filmed for you a few days ago in one of my favourite yoga spaces in Barcelona, designed for those cooler days and months when you want to build some gentle inner heat.
I hope you have an easeful season, whether you spend it with given or chosen family, whether you feel joyous or sad, remember to find seeds of inspiration right where you are.
Until we meet again, pause often, take deep breaths, and remember to savor the life around you.
Much love,
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