Rest, Rejuvenate, and Welcome the Dark’s Magic
At Winter Solstice, we honor the shortest day of the year, the moment when we most fully feel the darkness around us, and also the point where the wheel of seasons turns towards growing light.
Darkness in the modern Western world has often been distorted into something scary and dangerous, something to be fought against and “lit up.” But when we turn to ancient wisdom ways, or even the deep knowing inside of us, we see that darkness is also the home of potential, of magic, of rebirth. After all, we all spent nine months in a dark womb before entering this world. So too must our ideas and dreams be given a warm, dark place away from the scrutiny of our critical minds to gestate and come to fruition.
In dancing through this transition moment, you’re invited to notice what seeds are planted deep inside you, perhaps readying themselves to sprout with the spring’s warmth. What rest and recovery can you give yourself to be able to meet this potential growth? How can you make friends with the darkness, the unknown, the mystery, and find joy “dancing in the dark”?
You’re invited to a Virtual 7Directions Dance Ceremony to honor this time of shifting seasons
When: Sunday Dec. 19, 11–2 Pacific / 2–5 Eastern
This is a longer dance that provides more time for reflecting and connecting in the opening circle
Where: Virtual on Zoom*
Cost: $55 per home
10% donated to FreeFrom
No one turned away for lack of funds
To register: PayPal (mikijohnson@gmail.com) or Venmo (@MikiJ)
Please include your email address in the note so I can send you details
About 7Directions Dance Ceremony
You can learn more about 7Directions here, and here are the basics: We'll quickly all say hi and name intentions, then I'll call in the directions and guardians of the ceremony, then we'll dance for about 90 mins; towards the end, you'll have time to journal/draw and we'll close by sending blessings to the world. The musical journey is specially created for this moment and these participants; it ranges from electronic, funk, and disco, to world and devotional tunes.
NO dance experience or skills required. This is about how it feels NOT how it looks. You cannot do this wrong.
If you’re wondering: a dance ceremony over Zoom? How does that even work? Pretty well, it turns out. I'll share music directly from Zoom to your computer. From there, I recommend wireless headphones or good speakers that plug into your computer.
Also, if dancing or having deep experiences in front of a camera feels vulnerable, I get it. I trust you to make the decision that’s right for you, and here’s what I can tell you: this is an intimate, deeply held container with a max of 25 people where everyone is present and moving—no screens off unless for technical difficulties and no participants who are just “watching.” I try to have personal contact with everyone before they attend and everyone agrees verbally to a contract for behavior (including confidentiality) before we begin.