Sweet Darkness, in your quiet wisdom, you have offered us the soft space for rejuvenation – and – YES – Dreaming the New!
We thank you for the time of inward journeying.

Oh, Darkness, you have served Life well – and now – your time is done.
The good work of regeneration is complete for yet another season.
For now, the Light returns.

We welcome you to join us in this special time of year – the darkest day and the season’s turning. As we attune to Earth’s rhythms, we, too, are being called to turn from the old and bring ourselves forward to receive what the winter season holds for us.

Aligning with the heightened energy available to us during this special Winter Solstice time of year, there is an opportunity to create a wave of transformational energy that can transform our personal lives and our world.

Join us and millions worldwide who will share in prayer and song, dance and chanting, meditation and ritual to celebrate the return of the Light.

Gathering together in the community spirit with a shared vision of the Winter Solstice creates – Magic!

The Celebration includes:

• You will be ushered in with live ambient music with musicians Michael and Talise

• Welcome & smudging

• Creating ritual space

• Gratitude Ceremony & Earth Meditation

• Wassailing ceremonial walk to the apple orchard - Wassailing is done to apple trees to wake them up and encourage them to produce plenty of fruit next autumn. The name wassail comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'Waes hael' meaning 'be whole/well/hallowed/healthy'. This will include a silent walk to the apple orchard, sounding and toning with the group under the trees, banging and clanging pots and pans for the trees and a silent walk back to the lodge. Please bring outdoor clothing

• Candle Lighting & Intention Setting Ceremony with poetry

• Giveaway Ceremony – ‘please carefully read the info about this ceremony below’

• Group Sharing

• Mingling & warm spiced apple cider

The ritual includes time for silence and interactive activities.

This Special Event will be facilitated by The Living Centre Community Team - Tes, Kim, Sasha, Adam & Chris

Date: December 21, 2024

Time: Please arrive at 6:45. We will begin promptly at 7 pm and end at 10 pm.

Donation: $25, $35, $45

Please Pre-register online to ensure space. Thank you

PLEASE READ – About the ‘Give-Away Ceremony’

This is a ceremony that many people have practiced throughout the centuries. It is a heartful, fun and powerful. Think of something about yourself that you want to let go of. You feel something blocking your growth, joy, and capacity to ‘Be Peace.’ Make this as specific as you can. For example, You wouldn’t say, ‘I intend to let go of fear.’ It’s important to name the fear. Ex. – A fear of appearing different, not having enough of ‘something’ or…Something that disturbs your inner space of peace and joy. Our fears cannot be figured out by simply thinking about them. This is why we bring them into ritual space, offer them to the Universe, and ask for help to clean and release this part of ourselves. Doing this with others amplifies the healing process.

The Give-a-way gift will likely NOT represent what you are giving away. Rather it is something that you already own (please do not buy something) that has meaning to you. Giving it away should not be easy. For example, people have given away rings, jewelry, medicine pouches, drawings, a crystal or stone, special gifts, something they created that has meaning, etc. It doesn’t have to have monetary value; it is more of a feeling value. Your willingness to give it away is saying to the Universe. I am THIS ready to let go of the part of me that keeps me trapped, and I’m showing how ready I am by giving away this that is precious to me. Again, this does not have to have a monetary value – it’s more personal. When you give it away, the person who receives it will support you in your journey. We ask them to place this article someplace special for at least 3-months as you transition during this season.

Winter Solstice Contemplations

The focus for our evening is to give thanks to the Elements that have given us and call on their guidance during this time of transition. A transition, not only from one season to the next but of our world as a whole.

Transitions always have their challenges. We often see increased flu, colds, and even people leaving this Earth plane during the seasonal transition times. Because we are Nature in expression as humans, we go through these same transitions physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Every ecosystem needs much preparation in Nature before autumn turns to winter, winter to spring and spring to summer.

During the autumn months, in this part of the world, many have gone to sleep or died to prepare for the coming new. We may not have paid much attention to these natural cycles, but we have lived through the cycles of death and rebirth all of our lives. We are born out of these cycles. These are rhythms we know intimately – innately.

We can draw on this innate knowledge to help us navigate the death processes needed to transition from a patriarchal, economy-centred culture to an Earth community centred on peace and respect for all Life. How we handle the necessary death of the old to make space for the new will determine the results.

The Winter Solstice allows us to embrace the darkness within a community of like-minded people. Let die the parts of ourselves, our habits, beliefs, etc., that no longer serve our kind Earth or us. These beliefs may have served us well in the past, but we live in a new world now, with unprecedented changes, challenges, and opportunities. The Winter Solstice allows us to bring to focus, in ritual space, all that we have been grateful for in this past season and also what is longing to pass away to create an inner landscape that’s fertile and ready to plant the new seeds of tomorrow, as we welcome the return of the light. (Dec. 21st, 11:19 pm est.)

We draw on the power and wisdom of the community and the forces that give us Life – Air, Fire, Water, Earth & Spirit to be our guides and awaken our true nature and life, the special gifts that each of us brings into this new year.

We look forward to being in a circle with you on this special day.

In Peace,
Lorenna & Shantree

Winter solstice is the shortest day of the year because of the earth’s tilt, as our hemisphere is leaning farthest from the sun.

Solstice means…standing-still-sun

Winter Solstice has been celebrated in cultures the world over for thousands of years. This start of the solar year is a celebration of Light and the rebirth of the Sun. We invite you to take time to reflect on this annual cycle and feel the power of knowing that each of us is a part of the sacred web of life. A sacred time to light the candles and bring more illumination through our intention, inner strength, and trust.

“We are blessed to know that you continue to celebrate the quarterly meditations. You might be interested to know that the level of participation has risen for this to 3.5 million worldwide. The credit for this is entirely due to sincere people like yourselves who believe in this planet and in the universe’s plan for the human race.” - B & E, Trent River, ON.