Today is the Winter Solstice – one of the two most important days in the Celtic Calendar. It’s both the darkest day of the year and the day that marks the turning point towards longer, lighter days.
I’ve been following the Celtic Calendar for 15 years and one of its gifts has been to help me understand the difference between routine and rhythm.
I’m generally someone who prioritises novelty and freedom – rebelling against anything that restricts my options. I associate routine with staleness and obligations I’m compelled to keep.
By paying attention to the Celtic Calendar and the changing seasons, I’ve come to understand that rhythms are different to routines.
Rhythms are the basis of life – our heart has a rhythm and the Earth has an annual rhythm as it circles round the sun. It’s always there, whether or not we pay attention to it.
We can transform a routine into a rhythm by aligning it with the cycles of our day, week or month and consciously choosing it. So walking the dog at 7am can shift from a chore to a rhythm that gives shape and an anchor to our day.
One of my rhythms when I’m at home is to go to the beachfront sauna on Saturday morning with a group of women. We chat, have a sea dip if we’re brave and an alfresco coffee to warm up after. I both choose to do it and commit to getting up on a Saturday morning when I might prefer a lie in, so that others will have company.
Consciously committing to these rhythms is both grounding – keeping me connected to the subtle shifts in weather and the light – and reminds me that nothing is permanent: in hard times “This too will pass” in good times “Savour the moment”.
So, this Winter Solstice I invite you to notice which rhythms nourish you – whether they be daily, weekly, monthly or annual – and appreciate them for the comfort they bring to your life.