Winter Solstice At Wild Hollow- Natural Ways to Boost Winter Health
- victoria ward
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Winter has arrvied here at Wild Hollow and not in a crisp, bright, idealised christmas card kind-of-way. The short days have been predominantly grey, damp and uninspiring. My health and energy has been undermined by persistent cold-like symptoms and I often dream of warmer, exotic shores.
This time of year, its a case of digging deep to find the joy and motivation, especially if christmas doesn't quite 'do it' for you. On the cusp of the winter solstice, I am dragging myself out, embarking on a little field trip to Wild Hollow, searching for the dwindling light..
The Winter Solstice and the Return of Light
Astronomically speaking, the winter solstice is a prescise moment when one of the Earth's poles reaches a maximum tilt away from the sun, the sun takes it's lowest and shortest path to cross the sky, resulting in short days and longer nights. In the Northern hemisphere, this occurs around December 21 or 22nd. From this exact point onwards, the light will slowly increase.
This moment has significance for many cultures and has been a point of celebration and reflection since ancient times, this is evident from Stonehenge and it's positioning that perfectly captures the solstice.
For many, Christmas brings light in these darkest days, during pre-christian times pagans celebrated the solstice or 'Yule' as it became known. Yule is one of the festivals recognised in the `'Wheel of the Year'.
Adopting Some Pagan Winter Solstice Rituals
Light is the theme for many Pagan rituals surrounding the winter solstice, often represented by bonfires and candles. Bringing evergreen plant material into the home as I have done recently- see Festive Foraging - Make Your Own Natural Christmas Wreath, is another pagan ritual. Many of these pagan traditions were adopted and continue as part of modern christmas celebrations.
In my home, enjoying cosy log fires, candlelight and practices such as burning essential oils, are integral to my 'winter survival plan'. I love to burn woody oils -my favourite has long been rosewood. Frankincense, pine and the citrus scents of orange and lemon are all synonymous with this season too. Check out this Wildcrafted Siberian Fir essential oil from Tisserand.
Foraging for my christmas wreath was really fun as was the creative process and eventual outcome. I found it genuinely uplifitng and I remain proud of my wreath.
Natural Cures For Winter Colds and Flu
As I said in my introduction, I like so many others have been under the weather as respiratory infections have been particularly rampant for the start of winter. As usual I have been relying on my trusty home herbal apothecary to ease me through. Elderberry is a much utlised herb in my household, see my previous post Hedgerow Harvests- Winter Wellness Remedies with Elderberry
I take Elderberry and Echinacea Syrup, Andrographis paniculata tincture at the onset of a cold and I really enjoy Wild Cherry Bark Syrup for coughs as it's rather delicious.
Rosehips are a top source of vitamin C and can be made into a syrup too.
Here's another syrup for relieving coughs combining the anti-microbial properties of Thyme and the soothing, demulcent and expectorant properties of Liquorice.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food (Hippocrates)
Generally I try and eat really well, when I am under the weather I rely on my Chicken Noodle Soup, this is 'food as medicine' in practice as it is packed with health-promoting vegetables, herbs and spices.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
2 tbsp veg oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 tbsp peeled, chopped ginger
6 garlic cloves minced
1-2 chopped red or green chillies
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp honey
1 chopped carrot
1 stick of chopped celery
2 cups shredded kale or cavolo nero
1/2 courgette sliced
2-3 chestnut mushrooms sliced
1 cup of beansprouts
1 pound of skinless chicken breast chopped into 1 inch pieces
3 cups coconut milk
14 ½ oz chicken stock
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp chopped coriander
One pack instant noodles
Method
Fry the onions, ginger, garlic and chillies in the veg oil until soft
Add the carrot, celery and kale, cook for 10 mins
Add fish sauce, tamarind, spices and honey, mix in well
Pour the stock in and bring to the boil
Simmer for 20 mins with a lid on
Add the courgette and mushrooms, cook for further 5 mins
Add the chicken, cook for 5 mins
Add the noodles, coconut milk, coriander, beansprouts and soya sauce and simmer for a further 10 mins.
Ladle into bowls
Nature's Mood-Enhancing Powers
Gorse
Gorse is a relentless winter flowering shrub, cheery, bold yellow flowers with a pineapple scent emerge around December and remain until the spring. These flowers are also edible.
Birdsong, Babbling Brooks..
The birds are still singing and the nights here are becoming very owly. The brook is cheerfully babbling away, a nice side-effect of the very wet weather.
Imagining worlds...
I grew up reading Enid Blyton and The Enchanted Wood was one my favourite books, so too was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Hobbit and the Victoria Plum books. The imaginatve sparks from these early literary immersions are reignited as I walk around Wild Hollow, there are many holes in wood, rock and earth- leading to who knows where?
Who lives in here? Snugly dwellings buried deep within the earth, sheltered under the eaves of these old wooden limbs..
Top winter survival tips- Eat well, use herbs, make the house cosy and get outside to celebrate nature. Winter solstice is a special time for reflection and to escape the commercialisation of christmas which is increasingly distracting and loud. Finding quiet time in nature for me is spiritual, akin to sitting quietly in a church reflecting, remembering and looking forward.
This year the winter solstice occurs on Sunday 21st December at 3.03 pm.
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