Winter Solstice Celebration Focuses on Mindful Self-Care
Jacqueline FullerThe winter season is a time for people to slow down their routines, find closure, reflect on their gains and losses and to set up plan for new beginnings. A group convened on Saturday, December 21 at Qi Kratom CBD Tea in Northwest Washington for intimate gathering to share their personal reflections for 2019 and to celebrate the Winter Solstice.
The celebration was organized by Ananda Leeke, a mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher, reiki master, author, and artist. For the past 27 years, Leeke has either celebrated or attended Winter Solstice events.
“The Winter Solstice has always been a time for me to slow down, become still, practice mindful self-care, reflect on my current year, and prepare for the new year,” Leeke said.
Leeke coordinated the guided meditations during the Winter Solstice celebration that focused on mindfulness of the body and breath, the seven chakra energy centers and loving-kindness.
Participants were instructed to bring a journal and pen to the celebration to work on writing exercises on who they were, lessons learned, aha moments and achievements during 2019.
“Since the Winter Solstice is a time to honor and acknowledge the endings and new beginnings in your life, the journaling exercises helped participants review their current year, what they need to release and forgive to make room for their new beginnings in 2020,” said Leeke. “They also helped them set intentions for who they want to be in 2020 and identify actions steps, an accountability partner, and ways to celebrate their small medium, and big wins.”
The chakra healing singing bowls and gemstones were used as mindful self-care rituals to help participants relax and deepen their meditation and reflection practice.
“These practices have always grounded me and laid the foundation for who I am and what I do in each new year,” said Leeke.
After witnessing their impact in her life, Leeke decided to share them with her coaching clients and in her trainings and online webinars.
“This year, many of my coaching clients and Mindful Monday Meditation class participants expressed a deep need for more mindful self-care events that would help them reflect each month and quarter, and align themselves with the natural rhythm of the Earth and the moon,” said Leeke
Leeke and her immediate family come from the Black Catholic tradition. She grew up as the daughter of a Catholic school principal and founder and director of the gospel choir at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Landover, Maryland. As a young adult, Leeke attended St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Washington, DC.
“In my late 20s, I started expanding her spiritual understanding and practices with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American spirituality, Kemetic spirituality, the Vodun religion, the Yoruba religion, Goddess spirituality, New Thought spirituality, Astrology, crystal therapy, and chakra healing,” said Leeke. “Over the past three decades, I have continued to explore my spirituality as a member of All Souls Unitarian Church, Unity of Washington, DC, Agape International Spiritual Center, Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC's People of Color Sangha, and Heart Refuge Mindfulness Community for People of Color. I use practices from many of these sacred traditions and communities to nurture my connection to Creator and practice mindful self-care.”
Participants shared during the celebration how they really needed to schedule more time to practice mindful self-care. They also received affirmations cards created by the late Louise Hay who was known as motivational and self-help author.
“They liked the meditations, gentle yoga, crystals, journaling, and singing bowls because they helped them relax and explore themselves from the inside out, said Leeke. “They were also able to start their reflection process on how 2019 impacted them and what they want to bring into 2020.”