“ After the longest night, tomorrow we sing up the dawn. There is a rejoicing that, even in the darkest time, the sun is not vanquished. As of tomorrow, the days begin to get longer as the light of day grows. While the gentle winter sun slowly opens its eyes, let us all bring more light and compassion into the world. ”

— Dacha Avelin

Welcome to The Nudge | Winter Solstice 2023
This seasonal care package has been prepared by The Trailblazery team.

Dear Friends,

We are honoured to prepare The Nudge, our final care package of 2023 for you as we approach Winter Solstice - the nadir of the solar year on December 22.

At this darkest point we tentatively await the returning of the light. As a human family we have been navigating some of the darkest times that will take generations and generations to heal. It is hard to believe in miracles when so much has been lost. We hope that some of the resources we have gathered for you will support you in the coming days and weeks. We can also take some solace in the knowing that darkness has an alchemical power that we can harness - a deep presence that is pregnant with possibility.

You, darkness, of whom I am born —

I love you more than the flame
that limits the world
to the circle it illumines
and excludes all the rest.

But the darkness embraces everything:
shapes and shadows, creatures and me,
people, nations — just as they are.

It lets me imagine
a great presence stirring beside me.

I believe in the night.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke,
from The Book of Hours
translated by Joanna Macy
and Anita Burrows

May this Winter Solstice be a portal that offers the possibility for great change and transformation from the inside, out for all of us.

Dowth Passage Tomb, Brú na Bóinne, Boyne valley, Co Meath
Credits: Fáilte Ireland | Sonder Visuals

For the ancients the Winter Solstice marked the still point of the sun, a collective pause before welcoming the new light and life born out of the womb of winter. The words for Winter Solstice, in Irish "Grianstad an Gheimhridh," mean “sun stands still” and encapsulate a time of darkness and stillness which can also be a time of great fecundity. This time is also known as ‘the dreamtime’, where the seeds of new life, new ideas and new projects are quietly gestated and nurtured. We are being invited to rest and to move with deliberate slowness, resisting the urge to plunge into action, and instead, to actively listen for the subtle voice of what wants to emerge within us.

This season serves as a profound teacher, imparting lessons on the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. In Ireland, the echoes of this ancient wisdom resonate in monumental structures such as the Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange. Here, the 5000-year-old dark and empty chamber is pierced by the light from the rising sun on the morning of the Winter Solstice. It is a moment when a new light emerges from the womb of winter, a powerful symbol of hope and renewal.

Newgrange, Winter Solstice
Credits: Fáilte Ireland | Brian Morrison

In this season of dwindling light, the life force (‘neart’) is being drawn deeper into the earth. The dominant movement is one of sinking, letting go and surrendering to the void and abyss that characterises mid-December in the northern hemisphere, As the earth sleeps and the animals hibernate we find ourselves immersed deep in the cauldron, which is a central metaphor of transformation in our mythology.

This season is also one for forging bonds and fostering community. Now, more than at any other point of the year, people across the globe turn to each other, seeking comfort and the collective joy that arises from coming together to celebrate and commemorate the resurgence of light.

Liam Ó Maonlaí and Patrick O'Laoghaire from "I Have a Tribe" at our Winter Solstice gathering in The Dublin Mountain in 2019

May this season inspire us to remember and include our global family who need our support and solidarity at this time. As we collectively navigate the intricate dance of light and darkness, let this Winter Solstice be a time of rest, reflection and dreaming. May the ancient wisdom embedded deep in our cultural heritage guide us through this season of transformation.

Consider the pine tree and pine cone your secret allies at this time of year. The simple pine cone is a symbol of spiritual awakening and inspired the name of the similarly shaped Pineal Gland nestled deep in between the two hemispheres of our brain. Sometimes the Pineal Gland is referred to as our “third eye” the “mystic seed" or “dream centre”. The pineal gland regulates melatonin levels, the hormone responsible for our circadian rhythms, sleeping patterns and waking up cycles.

Pinecones appear across ancient art, architecture and religious symbolism. They were considered sacred by the Druids, so maybe you can make the pinecone part of your ritual practice at this Winter Solstice.

Journal Prompts to inspire you

at Winter solstice:

❄️ What have you been releasing since Samhain to create space for new growth and possibilities in the coming year?

❄️ How are you embracing this time of darkness within and without?

❄️ How are you meeting the practice of pausing, stillness, hibernation and rest?

❄️ What are you noticing in your body and emotions as the season changes with your internal clock and biorhythms?

❄️ Who are your allies and what resources do you draw on for this season?

❄️ Imagine the seeds of new life, ideas, and projects taking root during the "dream time" of winter. What dreams and aspirations are quietly germinating within you?

❄️ What aspect of your life needs regeneration?

❄️ What does the returning light illuminate for you?

❄️ How can you become the seed of your own rebirth?

In the spirit of Winter Solstice, we are reminded of these words from Billy Mag Fhloinn, who was our guest at The Hedge School Global Winter Solstice gathering in 2020 and shared this wisdom with us:

What’s coming up over the next
6 weeks at The Trailblazery:

As the Great Wheel turns yet again, we are invited to pause and remember what we have traveled through together. We are excited to let you know what we have coming up for you over the next 6 weeks here at The Trailblazery:

The Legacy of An Gorta Mór - the Great Famine in Ireland and the Irish Diaspora

The oldest known photo of an Irish Famine survivor was taken by photographer
John Gregory Grace in 1853.

I am delighted to announce I will be co-facilitating an international online lab at The Pocket Project as a Cultural Advisor in 2024. This year-long lab is called "The Legacy of the Great Famine in Ireland and the Irish Diaspora". We will be using my teacher Thomas Hübl's Collective Trauma Integration process which is designed to release and integrate the trauma that is stored both within individuals and within groups of people who share similar trauma patterns in their collective unconscious. This trauma is often hidden, covered over by numbness and stories, yet its symptoms continually show up in our lives today like a ‘ghost in the machine’. This lab will explore what it means to be Irish today, how An Gorta Mór - the famine is still with us, how it shows up in us, and how we can begin to heal and integrate what our ancestors could not. If you’re curious about how the famine affects your ancestry, we invite you to consider joining us. Participants will be required to have a reflective practice, be familiar with the work of Thomas Hübl and demonstrate a commitment to personal development through trauma-informed psychotherapy or coaching. For more information, click on this link.

I look forward to welcoming you there.... Kathy xo

Moon Medicine 2024

We launched our much loved Moon Medicine Circle in 2018 and have gathered a global community of inspirational women along the way.

Our monthly gatherings, which moved online in 2020, align with the lunar cycle. We meet around every Full Moon and welcome inspiring guest luminaries to share her story, experience and wisdom with us. We also invite extraordinary musicians and performers to play at our gatherings. This is an opportunity to illuminate and celebrate our creative life force and sovereignty.

We will be resuming our Moon Medicine gatherings in February and look forward to welcoming you back to our circle. You can sign up to our Moon Medicine mailing listhereto be informed of all upcoming events. Cost is €25 and we offer a limited number of free spots each month.

Scoil Scairte 2024

Míle Buíochas. We want to thank those of you that have travelled with us in 2023 and look forward to organising more activities for you in 2024. If you feel the pull to join this exciting global learning community that weaves Irish culture, heritage, and language, you can join the waitlist here to be the first to know when we launch our next spiral.

Need a Christmas gift idea?

Why not buy someone a gift certificate for The Trailblazery? You can choose the amount and the certificate can be redeemed in 2024 in exchange for any of our events or courses. Visit our website here for more info.

Recommended Resources

Here are a few reading, watching and listening pieces to nourish your senses in the days ahead:

❀ Listen: For your ears

Here are some music recommendations from The Trailblazery team for the season:

Sufjan Stevens - The Lonely Man of Winter

Woven Kin - Hibernate

Chris de Burgh - A Spaceman Came Travelling

Joni Mitchell - River

Aled Jones- Walking in the Air

❀ Smell & taste: For your nose & lips

Cacao, peppermint, cinnamon and orange work are wonderful flavours at this time of the year. We love this hot chocolate recipe using cacao powder.

✦ Read: For your heart

We share with you the following readings, whether you need a book to curl up with on these cold days or are just curious to read something different, there should be something for you in here:

Focail na mBan (2023) by Manchán Magan

Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor

Wintering by Katherine May

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

✦ Connect: For your soul

This Winter Solstice, take the time to set up a comfy, cosy meditation space. On the longest night, why not reflect on what the new season will bring you? Deep Winter is a great time for quiet contemplation, so setting up a dedicated nest to experience the gifts of this time could be just what you need to nurture your soul at this time. Check out this beautiful substack Glimmers by the amazing Kerri ní Dochartaigh, the healing Community of Practice & Action with Maggie McKeever and this lovely restorative nidra by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli.

If you enjoy Uma's work, feel free to check out her upcoming events in Ireland for 2024 and her Patreon.

✮ Watch: For your eyes

We recently lost a great Irish rebel poet Shane McGowan. His funeral mass took place in Tipperary on the birthday of Sinéad O’Connor. We wanted to share these two recordings of Haunted with you to honour their spirit and legacy.

Haunted by Shane MacGowan with Sinéad O'Connor

Haunted by Shane MacGowan with Mundy and Camille O'Sullivan sung at Shane's funeral.

Embrace these days - may the dreamtime be yours. Mind each other.

Thank you for walking this path with us,

Beir Bua,
Kathy and all at The Trailblazery

The Nudge - Dispatch 17 | Winter Solstice 2023