I recently performed a Winter Solstice Ritual for those in my Death’s Emissary course and those in the Temple of the Crane. It is a flow of ritual I particularly enjoy that contains stories, songs, and an activity (generally some form of candle magic).
This year’s focus was on the Well, the Ancestral Soul within us, and The Mother of Death. I have had many responses back at how powerful the ritual felt for them, the emotions that surfaced, and a deep connection to their people they felt during it. So I thought I would share it with others here in case anyone wanted to try it for them selves.
First though, I need to talk about some of the aspects of it in order to understand the context.
The Well and the Ancestral Soul
I have spoken about the Well before. It is the place the soul goes to after death and before it steps into its next journey and life. It is not a literal well in the sense of how we see physical wells, but an afterlife that takes on many shapes depending on the beliefs of the person when they die. It is the place where we reconcile the life that has just ended and prepare for all the possibilities ahead of us.
It is where the blending happens between our self soul and the ancestral soul. Taking all the memories, skills, knowledge, and experiences we had in that life – and blending it into the ancestral soul, becoming a part of it. For that is the role of the ancestral soul – to hold all of that and pass it along to the next person that will carry it in a new life.
When people say reincarnation – this is the version I see and know – it is this blended soul of many many lives. This is the part of the soul that is reborn again and again. Where our natural abilities, talents, and inner knowing comes from. The Well is where this soul does all its blending, incorporating all your aspects into it, and preparing itself for another life.
It is the ultimate transformation. The Winter Solstice, like the Well, is a point of transformation and transmutation. It was done in the darkest part of the year because that is when we used to slow down, that the pace of life changed, and we went inward into ourselves. It was the time where we would reflect back and reconcile the work of the previous year and prepare ourselves for the next. It was also a time of rest and celebration. A time to catch our breath and allow ourselves to connect with ourselves.
In our modern world, nothing slows down. The pace never changes. We just switch modes from more outside work to more inside work. It has diminished this natural rhythm of living and moving in time with the energies around us. So instead of a natural progression, we have to carve out the time and make an effort to bring that type of energy into our lives.
The Mother of Death
This is one I have not talked a whole lot about yet. The Mother of Death. The nameless, faceless, Guide of the pattern of Death and Rebirth. A Deity, yet so much more because She is the core of that pattern. I am not going to go deep here but I will in the future as She has become my center. What is important to understand is the “Mother” aspect.
Being the Mother of Death is important distinction, for it is only in the Mother form that She holds both Death and Life together – both sides of the death pattern. It is only in that energy, that archetype that we are able to experience the Rebirth – for it is only women (for humans) that have a womb. I realize in our current societal climate this has gotten complicated, but from a biological standpoint this is true. It is from this womb that life is reborn – that the ancestral soul is released back into the world to experience another journey.
The Ritual
Below I will outline the whole ritual for those who are interested. If you are wanted to participate or hear the entirety of it, including the stories and the rhythm of it, you can watch it here.
You can use this as a template or inspiration to create your own, or you can recreate this one if you want to. The candle stands as the symbol of your ancestral soul – bringing it forth and acknowledging it within us. I suggest letting it burn all the way until it is goes out on its own, allowing that power and energy to build, but you can choose for yourself.
Ritual Overview
1. Welcoming the Mother of Death
2. Story of the Deepest Night – Walking in the Well
3. Sisters Song
4. Story of Lighting the Flame (I will be lighting a candle on my altar for this – you are welcome to light one on yours as well if you would like)
5. The Fire song
6. Words of Mother Death
7. Mother of Death chant
8. closing
Weaving song (Sisters song)
Sisters spin your circle bright
Weave your web of dark and light
Earth Air Fire and Water
Binds us as one
Fire song
We will tend to the Fire
We will tend to the Fire
We will tend to the fire
We will tend to the fire
Dance the circle round and round
Let those things be re-found
Dance the circle round and round
Let the fire be your crown
Mother Death’s Chant/ Prayer
empa – oh -tika – hesea – eta – er
dah – eta – ah – tika – hesea
Ending Thoughts
No matter how you choose to celebrate this time – this turning – this season of inner movement, preparing for what you will create next – I hope you do it in a way that is aligned with you. Where you want to go next – what transformations you want to create.
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