Pleasure Practices for the Winter Solstice

This season is all about finding pleasure in the Dark.

We're inching towards the longest night of the year, the sacred dark. Today we call in big pleasure and joy for ourselves! What would make you feel really (and we mean REALLY) joyful right now?

This Winter Solstice spell revolves around darkness and rest. To allow ourselves space to be in soft light, to gently tend our aching bodies and rest, we need to recognize our divinity and worth. Who says we have to be working all the time? Who says the majority of our day has to be lit up bright for productivity's sake? Rest is joyful. This is a seasonal magical practice — recognizing the energy of winter practiced by all creatures and plant friends on earth. 

When we spend time with darkness and our shadows, we grow to love them as friends who guide, protect, and inform our lives. All parts of you deserve care, and I'm here to remind you that pleasure is still your birthright even if you don't always feel able to access it! Shadows are metaphors for parts of us we don't give a lot of attention to (after all, our society really prioritizes light over dark), so chances are your pleasure practice is a part of your shadow. Maybe you don't feel worthy, or there is guilt associated with naming and pursuing your heart's desires? Today is the perfect day to name those feelings, hold gratitude for their mystery, and compost them to make space for calling pleasure in joyfully.

Pleasure Toolbox:

Here are some very practical (and magical) practices for cultivating darkness for pleasure:

• build a fort
• bake with molasses, honey, or brown sugar (to invite sweetness in)
• burn candles (invite light into darkness) or practice some candle magic!
• do a reflective tarot pull or practice introspection 
• practice sacred rest
• create mood lighting in your space (try a different colored lightbulb!)
• turn your technology off for a day

Journaling questions for today:

• How will you honor the darkness as sacred, and invite the returning light in during Solstice?

Three card Tarot spread:

• What does my shadow have to tell me right now?
• What is ready to be composted and returned to the earth?
• How can I call in pleasure this winter?

Small Spell:

Cast a Solstice pleasure spell! 

Write out what you're ready to let go of on one piece of paper, and seal it with a kiss to express gratitude to past you. Write out what you'd like to call in with the returning light on another piece of paper and smear a little honey or sugar water on it (and eat a spoonful of honey yourself — an offering of big pleasure for your babely self) to sweeten your wishes and desires. If you have access to a hearth, make a fire and feed both to the flame, releasing your wishes, desires, and composting the old. If you don't have a hearth, do this in a fire safe container like a small bowl or cauldron!  Thank the flame for transporting your messages. 

Our favorite tools and treats for the season:

• Candle magic to light up the darkest nights of the year
• A new Tarot/ Oracle deck for a new year
• A perfume set for grounding and pleasure
• Bath ritual goods, because we all deserve a little rest
• Magical Soap to gift + to keep for every holiday  gathering