What Does Solstice Mean To You?
Lumia co-founders Noelle Cordeaux and John Kim reflect on community, rituals, and making meaningful connections.
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What Does Solstice Mean To You? Community + Love
The winter solstice marks the start of the astronomical winter. It is the day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight. Following the winter solstice, days start becoming longer as spring approaches.
As you move through the darkest nights of the year, here's a fun fact to consider. Humans may have observed the winter solstice as early as the Neolithic period — the last part of the Stone Age, beginning about 10,200 BC.
Throughout history, winter solstice celebrations have been present across many cultures. Roman, Scandinavian, European Pagan, Incan, Japanese, Iranian, Native American Pueblo and Chinese to name just a few. Common threads include the celebration of light, harvest, resources, renewal and community.
Through the lens of positive psychology, community and culture have existed throughout time as a means of providing safety, resources, companionship, belonging and information exchange. (Creating The World We Want To Live In: How Positive Psychology Can Build a Brighter Future)
Community is the basis of social capital where people can gain access to physical and psychosocial resources through social roles, rituals and narratives that give us a sense of meaning and identity.
Communities once had geographical boundaries, but as our lives become more global we know this is no longer the case. These days, many of us define community as a group of people who are connected by common interests, purpose, or need. What's more, we’re more likely to build and maintain connections with those who share our values rather than on the basis of who lives in closest proximity.
Ritual, customs, and celebrations (like the solstice) are recognized ways to build and maintain community, offering both positive emotional connection and shared experience. Studies show that when people have contact with others that includes sharing common goals and narratives all parties benefit with increased trust and well-being. (Creating The World We Want To Live In, Grenville-Cleave et al.)
It is important to note that participating in and receiving the benefits of community requires active participation!
Reflection:
- What communities are you a part of?
- What benefit have you gained from your communities?
- What have you seen others gain from participating in community?
Lumia Coaching represents light and community in so many ways, and so it is timely to evoke the spirit of the solstice. The field of coaching relies on shedding light on our blind spots so that we can overcome barriers to becoming the person we have always wanted to be.
Lumia was built on the concept of community and shared values - folks find kinship, psychological safety and friendship in our shared spaces. To facilitate community, we host a variety of resources for our students and alumni: Slack channels, Facebook groups, monthly Coaching Cafes, mentor groups, along with live and virtual gatherings. Resource sharing is the foundation of what we do.
We know how beneficial engagement is for our people, and so want to offer the importance of ritual and community to you this solstice. As you think about the weeks ahead, what seeds can you plant for yourself?
Reflection:
- What can you do to bring people together in community this season?
- What would you like to celebrate?
- What goals would you like to put forth for “harvesting” in the new year?
- How could your community support you in celebrating? In harvesting?
- What would you like to offer to the people around you in return?
Interested in learning more about our community of coaches? Discover more here: Lumia Coach Training: Support, Connection, Community.
Ready to Join Us?
One of our values at Lumia is that we dare to be different. Our life coaches ignore the expectations society tries to impose on them, and seek to live from their own truth instead. If you are ready to step into your power and you’d like a partner in the process, come check out Lumia Life Coach Training. Grounded in science, our ICF accredited program features authentic instructors, a robust curriculum, and business instruction to prepare you for liftoff.
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