Happy Solstice, Reader!

The solstice is my favorite time of year.

What can feel like duality - the longest night for half the planet and the longest day for the other half - to me feels like balance.

I'm deeply drawn to seasonal rhythms and the way energy naturally moves between expansion and contraction over the course of the year, as if the Earth herself is breathing.

The winter solstice marks the deepest point of that exhale. If we are willing to surrender to the stillness, we can connect with the sacred.

Winter is the threshold between death and birth.

I am reminded of the wisdom of Valeria Kaur who said,

We are taught to be afraid of the dark, and to seek the light of knowledge, but in truth, all new life begins in mystery, in darkness.

Winter asks us to have faith and to trust our inner compass.

We are made of earth and stars, but we can't see the starlight when the sky is full of light. To find our own inner light, we must be willing to go into the dark.

This solstice feels especially potent as we transition from the year of the Wood Snake to the year of the Fire Horse.

2025 was a year of shedding and completion; of outgrowing what had previously been safe and comfortable.

2026 will be the year of the Fire Horse which has the energy of innovation and momentum, but before we can grow into what we are becoming, we must first move through conception and incubation. The dark womb of winter allows us to compost the past year into potent, fertile ground for new growth if we are patient.

From a seasonal perspective, the true new year doesn’t begin until spring, when the bears emerge from their dens and the sap rises and flows through the veins of the trees again. Until then, the work is inward.

In Chinese medicine, winter is governed by the water element and the kidneys, which store our deepest reserves of vitality. Winter is a time to restore our potency so we have the energy to give birth to new life in the spring.

Fear is the emotion of the kidneys and it arises as a signal that we are touching the unknown.

And it is true: We don't know yet what is going to be born.

This winter, let us not be afraid of the dark. Let us nest and nurture these seeds of becoming, letting this dark, fertile soil support deeply nourished roots. Let us trust that, as the Tao Te Ching reminds us: “Darkness within darkness is the gateway to all understanding.”

When we allow ourselves to rest in the dark, something subtle begins to glow. Our inner light doesn’t need to be forced; it radiates naturally when we stop running from the stillness and the darkness.

This is the intention behind my upcoming Winter Yoga & Qigong Series, focused on the water element and the kidneys. Through nourishing movement, vital breath, and replenishing stillness, we’ll support the body’s natural rhythms, restore depleted energy, and create space for what is quietly taking shape beneath the surface.

If you’re feeling called to slow down, to tend your roots, and to honor this season of incubation, I would love to practice with you.

✨ Registration is now open, and I hope you’ll join me in entering the dark—together.

With warmth and reverence,

Rachel Doctor of Physical Therapy & Integrative Pain Specialist Build a resilient nervous system to help you flow through the seasons of your life with courage, wisdom, and compassion.

PS: CranioSacral Therapy is nourishing anytime of year, but it is especially healing in the winter. Recharge your batteries, boost kidney energy, and restore your vitality with this gentle healing practice. Give yourself this gift, or share this gift of healing with a loved one.