Photo by Randall Cook
Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, the most Yin time. During this darkness, we turn inward. We reflect just as the moon reflects light and energy from the sun. Winter Solstice is a time of stillness and potential, rest and preparation.
The Tao Te Ching, the classic of Chinese philosophy offers 81 verses about living in harmony with the rhythms of nature, about living a life respecting the underlying order of the universe, the Tao.
Verse 16 speaks of rest and renewal. How can we energetically root ourselves as we prepare for the return of sunlight?
I do my utmost to attain emptiness;I hold firmly to stillness.
The myriad creatures all rise together
And I watch their return.
The teaming creatures
All return to their separate roots.
Returning to one’s roots is known as stillness.
Translation by D.C. Lau
Emptiness and stillness. Wuji.
We stand in wuji, emptiness stance as a meditation, and also as a starting place during a practice.An open circle, limitless possibilities, the beginning. As you see, the wuji circle is not closed. We are open to potential.
More about wuji:
Rather than running away from the darkness, the stillness, the quiet of the long nights, we will savor the moment, the primordial state. And then:
The Tao gives birth to the One.
The One gives birth to the Two.
The Two give birth to the Three.
The Three give birth
to the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things are
bolstered by Yin
and wield Yang.
Together they harmonize as Breath.
Verse 42 of the Tao Te Ching, translated by Jeffrey Mallinson
The spiral takes us to the polarity of Yin and Yang.
Looking at the Yin Yang symbol you'll see two dots. Darkness within the light, and light within the darkness.
The Two give birth to the Three.
When Qi, life-force is introduced to the duality of Yin and Yang, we have the birth of three, existence of the elements of life.
to the ten thousand things.
During our practice on the Winter Solstice we will contemplate the moon and the sun. We will then turn to the stars, or specifically five of the planets which represent the elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth. The elements give birth to all things.
A study by yours truly
I had the privilege of practicing forms with John Munro at a Qigong conference in Savannah this fall. His wuji practice was the inspiration for our Solstice meditation in movement.
I wish you happiness, health and inspiration during this reflective time of stillness.
Brian
It's rare that I accompany a Qigong practice with a script. But there are a few things I will mention during our Solstice practice:
- Here in Colorado, the winter solstice daylight duration is 9 hours, 21 minutes and 17 seconds.
- Yesterday, the duration was 9 hours, 21 minutes and 18 seconds. We've lost a second.
- Tomorrow, the duration will be 9 hours, 21 minutes and 21 seconds. We will gain around 3 seconds.
- Today is 5 hours and 38 minutes shorter than the June solstice.
- The extreme Yin energy from the moon is the ideal time to absorb nature's Qi.
- We will combine gentle, warming, and slow forms with stillness and meditation.
- Our meditations will include:
- Moon and Sun meditation
- 5 planets/elements/celestial beings meditation
- And a Big Dipper meditation
- Chinese Dumplings or "Jiaozi" are the perfect accompaniment to a Solstice practice. The word jiaozi is similar to an expression that means "transition from old to new."