Winter Solstice 2025

I attended a winter solstice/restorative yoga practice recently, and it was one of those experiences that you want to share because it was so amazing.

Everything about it invited slowing down the pace, the breath, the way we were encouraged to rest instead of strive. Winter has a way of asking that of us if we’re willing to listen.

One of the practices we were guided through felt especially meaningful, and I wanted to share it here in case it resonates with you too.

It’s a 13-intention ritual, often connected to winter solstice traditions.

Rather than setting resolutions or goals that require force and discipline, this ritual is about trust, release, and choosing one thing to tend to instead of carrying everything.

You begin by writing down 13 intentions, one on each small piece of paper.

After writing each intention, fold the paper so you cannot see what’s written and keep all 13 somewhere safe.

Starting at the winter solstice, or any time during late December, each night after sunset you randomly choose one folded intention. You do not open or read it. You simply burn it safely, allowing yourself to release it without overthinking or controlling the outcome.

You repeat this for 12 nights.

On January 1st, you open the final intention that remains.

That last intention is the one you are meant to actively tend to in the coming year. The other twelve are surrendered and trusted to unfold without pressure.

There are 13 lunar cycles in a year, even though our calendar highlights only 12 months. This ritual comes from older, seasonal ways of marking time that honored nature, cycles, and rest. In those traditions, 13 was not seen as unlucky, but as whole and complete.

From a nervous system perspective, rituals like this can be incredibly regulating. They reduce overwhelm, create a sense of completion, and replace pressure with trust. Winter is not a season for forcing change. It is a season for listening, resting, and allowing what’s next to emerge naturally.

If you are feeling tired of striving, resolutions, or carrying too much, maybe this season is inviting you to release rather than push.

Light a candle. Write your intentions. Let go one night at a time.

And trust that what needs your attention will remain.

With Love

Carrie Payne