Embracing Stillness Through the Winter Solstice

By Kim Fournier-Jacques, MSW Intern

You notice the days getting shorter, and a quiet longing rises inside you—for stillness, for reflection, for a sense of balance. Your body feels the shift too: a mix of energy, fatigue, and curiosity about what it would feel like to let go for a little while. The Winter Solstice seems to whisper, “Here is a chance to slow down, reconnect, to honor your rhythms, to restore yourself.”

The Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year—invites us to pause and tune in to the natural rhythms of the season. Life moves in cycles: times of outward energy and activity, and times of inward rest and reflection. Yet in our modern world, it can feel unnatural to slow down. Even when the days shorten and the world quiets, we often push ourselves to keep moving, checking off tasks, or trying to meet expectations.

Stillness in this season isn’t emptiness—it’s a restorative pause for your body and nervous system. When you allow yourself to stop, notice your sensations, and simply be, your nervous system has a chance to settle, release tension, and restore balance. For some, slowing down can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable—and that’s okay. Feeling restlessness, impatience, or subtle unease is a natural part of learning to reconnect with your rhythms and return to a state of safety and calm.

Take a moment for yourself this season:

Journal Prompt:
Step outside or look through a window. Look for signs in nature that show winter’s slowing and stillness—frosted leaves, bare branches, long shadows. How does noticing this rhythm help you recognize your own need for rest, reflection, or renewal? What small pause can you give yourself today to align with this natural flow?

Winter Solstice Haiku:
Longest night arrives
Silent earth breathes deep and still
Light whispers return

Reflect on these words. Notice what arises—an image, a sensation, or a small insight. Stillness, even in brief moments, holds the power to restore, renew, and guide you back to balance.If you’d like to explore this gentle, restorative pause in a supportive space, you’re invited to join our Winter Solstice: Embracing Stillness and Nervous System Balance workshop. In this 1.5-hour session, we’ll guide you through reflective journaling, gentle stillness practices, seasonal nervous system awareness, and intention-setting—tools to help you reconnect with your body, honor your rhythms, and step into the season with calm, clarity, and presence.