Finding Light in the Darker Days: My Winter Rituals for Soulful Balance

As the days grow shorter and the light fades earlier each evening, I always feel a natural pull to slow down, go inward, and tend to my energy. The time between now and the Winter Solstice can feel heavy for many of us, with less sunlight and colder mornings. We can feel a quiet ache for warmth and connection. 

Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace this season instead of resisting it. I see it as a sacred pause, an invitation to nurture my body, my spirit, and my home until the light returns. Staying aware and being mentally prepared when daylight saving time hits helps me stay out of isolation and depression. 

Here’s what helps me stay balanced, grounded, and inspired during the darker months. Maybe some of these rituals will speak to your soul too.

✨ Crystal Companions for the Darker Days

I always start with my crystals. This season, I’m drawn to stones that hold both warmth and grounding energy.

• Sunstone to lift my mood and remind me of the returning light

• Citrine for positivity and creative spark.

• Smoky Quartz to help release tension and feel rooted.

• Black Tourmaline for energetic protection and calm.
  I keep a few of these by my bedside and on my shop counter; they help soothe me when the world outside gets gray.

🌲 Walks in Nature (Fort Worden is My Sanctuary)

Even when it’s chilly, I bundle up and head to Fort Worden for a walk. The salt air, tall evergreens, and sound of leaves blowing instantly reset my energy. There’s something healing about walking in the chilly air, breathing deeply, and remembering that nature is resting too. It reminds me that slowing down is part of the rhythm of life, just like the trees shedding their leaves.

🌞 Soaking Up the Light

Vitamin D becomes my best friend this time of year. I take a vitamin D supplement year-round, but it is critical when the sun is only out for a few hours a day.  I also by the window or out on my deck whenever the sun decides to come out in the mornings before I start my day.

🔥 Creating a Cozy Sanctuary at Home

When the light fades early, I make my home feel cozy. I light candles and incense, wrap up in a blanket by the fire, and of course, my cat Mochi will inevitably curl up on me (she’s the real queen of cozy). Sophie is not a snuggler, but is always on the floor next to me.
I will also simmer spices and citrus to add some good smells.  I keep a small altar with things I find on my walks: interesting moss and pinecones, and of course, rocks. They are simple reminders of the Earth’s quiet magic.

🍷 Staying Connected and Social

Hibernation doesn’t have to mean isolation. Every other week I go to my wine club, it’s one of my favorite rituals! Good friends, laughter, stories, and learning about good wine is medicine for the soul.

Even just a phone call, coffee or dinner date, or a walk with a friend helps keep my spirit bright when the days get darker. I vital for me to stay connected to my people.

🛁 Baths, Saunas & Slowing Down

One thing I don’t have and I miss is a bathtub! My current house does not have one, but when I do have one, this is my special time to get warm and unwind. If you are a bather, enjoy long baths with Epsom salts and essential oils during these cold months to get your body ready for bed. One thing I am going to add this winter is using the sauna at my gym, or trying out the infrared sauna at Soak on the Sound. (I love to treat myself to their soaking tubs too). Heat helps me release stress, warm my bones, and reconnect with my body.

🌿 Nourishing Food & Gentle Movement

This is the time for soups, roasted veggies, and warm beverages. I love a big cup of dirty chai at my coffee shop or a hot herbal tea before bed. Cooking comfort food and bread is also nice on a stormy day. I also stretch, do yoga, or walk, nothing intense, just movement that feels nurturing.

🌌 Embracing the Darkness

The weeks leading up to the Winter Solstice remind me that even in the darkest days, light will be quietly returning. This is the season of stillness, reflection, and gratitude, a sacred time to rest before renewal. It’s a season to slow down after the crazy summers we have here in Port Townsend. A time to be quiet, still, warm, comforted, and indulge in self-care.

So I let myself slow down. I make tea. I sit by the fire. I walk at Fort Worden with Sophie and listen to the trees. I laugh with friends, snuggle my cat, and keep my crystals close.

Because this, the darkness, the quiet, the pause, is where we find the spark that carries us forward into the new year.