How to find the hidden magic of the holiday season

The northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter. As the days reach their shortest and the nights stretch out, it’s time for the PowerType of the Sorceress to come to the fore. And this leadership archetype is where the magic of the holiday season is there to be found.

(Don't worry if the name "Sorceress" seems a little off-putting! We're simply talking about that part of you that trusts, that dreams, and that brings a little bit of fairy dust and mystery to life.)

Trouble is, for most of us that inward-moving, more spiritual side tends to be trampled down by all the other aspects of our leadership that are being called into action right now.

• Like Warrioress, nailing to-do lists and cooking schedules, charging through the final work projects and keeping the team/clients/colleagues/kids on task.
• Or Queen keeping a watchful eye on boundaries, planning the coming weeks down to the last plate of leftovers, and making sure you'll hit the ground running after the break.
• Not to mention Mother - whether or not you have kids you're probably soothing worries, reassuring wobbles and keeping everyone around you feeling nurtured and appreciated.

So how can you move beyond these aspects of our selves that seem to be culturally celebrated at this time of year - and find space for a little more magic?

Connecting to the dark: the magic of the holiday season

The Winter Solstice is on 21 December. This is a really special time because it’s the shortest day, which by default means it’s the longest night.

It’s the longest period of darkness that we have in the calendar in the year.

Many of us get freaked out by darkness but actually there is a great gift here.

And it’s time to discover that gift!

If we could take away everything that the culture demands of us, everything that our busy lives demand of us and actually tune into our energy at this time of year we will discover that our energy wants to come in. It wants to be inward focusing and reflective.

Given the current fast pace of life it’s all too easy to miss this and unless we tune into it we will overlook it.

(We're all animals after all and we do respond to the seasons, whether we are aware of it or not.)

One of the risks we run at this time of year is skidding through this amazingly magical moment without acknowledging it or noticing. The beauty of the longest night is that every day after this the days get a little longer and the light returns.

It doesn’t matter what your tradition is or even if you don’t have any spiritual beliefs. You can tune into nature and you can get a sense that there is something fabulous and magical going on just now.

Allow yourself to find time to connect

One of the things that I highly recommend is giving yourself permission, specifically in this week, to just be really present during these darkest days.

Sorceress thrives in nature, so if you can find some time when you're outside, or just close to a natural object like a beautiful plant or crystal, that's ideal.

It might only be for 5 minutes. It might be while you’re on a walk, making a cup of tea, or wrapping gifts.

Whenever that moment arrives - take a few deep breaths, and begin to reflect on the year that’s gone, and anything that you don’t want to have in your life anymore.

Just become present to it and consciously chose to let it go into the darkness.

And then allow yourself to trust that as the energy and the light start to return you will have all of the energy that you want and need to be able to fulfil on your goals and ambitions for the coming year.

That you will have all the support you need to bring miracles to life - without needing to burn yourself out in the process.

(We have a live 2-hour webinar coming up in the middle of January to help you do exactly that!)

A note for my friends down under!

Now if you’re on the flip side of the world, as I was born and raised in the southern hemisphere, the festive season does have a different flavour. It is summertime at this time of year and we are at the opposite end of the spectrum with the longest day. It’s such a delicious time of being with friends and people.

So if that’s where you are make sure you are present to that, and that you revel in every drop of energy that you bring to that. Be present in those connections.

Again it’s really easy in the summer celebration of Christmas to get wrapped up in it all and not be present to the gift that is there. How can you find your magic of the holiday season?

Making space for the magic

Wherever you are in the world simply tune into what it means for you and don’t let this time sweep by.

There may be lots of things you want to get on with, and maybe a sense that you’re going to enjoy the break to catch up on the things you’re behind with.

But one of the first things that I really deeply hope you catch up with is your connection to you.

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