Shedding in the Dark: Grief and the Winter Solstice

We shed to rebirth......

The winter solstice marks a powerful turning point in the year. It is the moment when darkness reaches its peak before the light begins to return. Spiritually, this time invites deep reflection, transformation, and renewal. As we approach the transition from the Year of the Snake in 2025 to the Year of the Horse in 2026, the themes of shedding old identities and healing grief become especially relevant.

This season asks us to slow down, to listen inward, and to honor what has ended so something new can be born. This blog explores the spiritual meaning of the winter solstice, the symbolism behind the Snake and Horse years, the role grief plays in transformation, and how ancient traditions—like the 12 Days of Yule—guide us through this liminal threshold.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Winter Solstice

The winter solstice occurs when one hemisphere tilts farthest from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year. This astronomical event has held spiritual significance across cultures for thousands of years. It symbolizes the death of the old sun and the rebirth of light.

Spiritually, the winter solstice represents:

• Endings and beginnings: The close of one cycle and the quiet start of another

• Inner darkness and reflection: A time to turn inward and face hidden parts of ourselves

• Hope and renewal: Even in the deepest darkness, light begins its return

  
  

The solstice is not about force or urgency. It is about stillness, surrender, and trust. It reminds us that transformation happens beneath the surface before it ever becomes visible.

Shedding the Snake Year 2025

In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. The snake is a powerful symbol of transformation, wisdom, and renewal. Its most defining act—shedding its skin—mirrors the spiritual work many are called into during this year.

The Snake year invites:

• Releasing old patterns: Letting go of beliefs, habits, and roles that no longer fit

• Facing fears: Snakes often evoke discomfort, reminding us to confront what we avoid

• Embodying wisdom: Growth earned through introspection and lived experience

  
  

The Year of the Snake asks for honesty. It asks us to acknowledge what has expired and to courageously loosen our grip on old identities—even when they once kept us safe.

Facts and History of the Snake Year

The snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle and has been revered across cultures for centuries:

• In ancient Egypt, snakes symbolized protection and royalty

• In Greek mythology, snakes were associated with healing and medicine

• In Chinese culture, the snake represents intelligence, elegance, and strategy

  
  

The snake’s dual nature—both feared and revered—reflects the reality of transformation itself. Growth is rarely comfortable, but it is always purposeful.

The Year of the Horse 2026 and What It Brings

Following the introspective Snake year, 2026 arrives as the Year of the Horse. Where the snake turns inward, the horse moves outward. The horse symbolizes freedom, momentum, and vitality.

Themes of the Horse year include:

• Forward movement: Taking action rooted in inner clarity

• Independence: Confidence, self-trust, and sovereignty

• Passion and expansion: A renewed desire to live fully

  
  

The Horse year builds upon the inner work of the Snake. What was shed becomes space. What was healed becomes strength.

Releasing Old Identities and Limitations

Transformation requires release. Holding onto outdated identities can keep us trapped in cycles of stagnation and pain.

Old identities may include:

• Roles we’ve outgrown

• Survival versions of ourselves

• Beliefs shaped by trauma rather than truth

  
  

Limitations often appear as fear, self-doubt, or expectations placed on us by others. Letting go is rarely easy—but it is necessary. Release creates space for authenticity and alignment.

Grief as a Powerful and Necessary Force

Grief is often misunderstood. It is not weakness—it is truth speaking.

Grief:

• Signals that something meaningful has ended

• Demands to be felt, not bypassed

• Carries wisdom when honored fully

  
  

Unprocessed grief becomes heavy. Acknowledged grief becomes transformative. Healing grief by healing it means allowing it to move through us rather than harden within us.

Practical Ways to Honor the Winter Solstice

To ground this spiritual season into daily life, consider these practices:

• Create a ritual of release: Write what you’re letting go of and burn or bury it safely

• Reflect inward: Journal or meditate on what is ending and what wants to begin

• Honor grief: Feel it without judgment; seek support when needed

• Set intentions: Envision who you are becoming as light returns

• Connect with nature: Witness the quiet power of the earth’s cycles

  
  

These practices anchor transformation in presence rather than pressure.

Honoring the Ancient Wisdom of the 12 Days of Yule

As I move through this sacred season, I am personally honoring the 12 Days of Yule, an ancient tradition rooted in earth-based spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and reverence for natural cycles.

Long before modern calendars, the 12 Days of Yule were observed by Norse, Germanic, and pre-Christian European cultures as a liminal period between the winter solstice and the return of the sun. This was believed to be a time outside of ordinary time—when intuition sharpened, the veil thinned, and the future could be sensed.

The Ancient History of the 12 Days of Yule

Historically, each of the 12 days represented one month of the coming year:

• Observations of weather, dreams, emotions, and signs were used for insight

• Families honored ancestors, practiced divination, and stayed close to the earth

• Fires were kept burning to welcome the sun and protect against lingering darkness

  
  

In Norse tradition, this season was linked to Odin and the Wild Hunt, symbolizing wisdom gathered from unseen realms. Yule was not about celebration alone—it was about listening.

How I Am Observing the 12 Days of Yule

During these 12 days, I am slowing down intentionally. Each day, I reflect on different aspects of my life—grief, healing, identity, rest, courage, and renewal.

Through journaling, prayer, and stillness, I pay attention to:

• What is ready to be released

• What feels tender and unfinished

• What quietly wants to be born

  
  

This practice aligns deeply with the shedding energy of the Snake year while preparing my spirit for the forward movement of the Horse year.

A Sacred Bridge Between Darkness and Light

The 12 Days of Yule remind us that transformation does not rush. It unfolds in pauses, silence, and surrender.

Darkness has purpose.

Grief carries wisdom.

Light always returns.

As the days slowly lengthen and the sun rises again, may we honor not only the light ahead—but the darkness that shaped us.

Love & Light,

Soldier Mom