Solstice is a time where it's a turning point. Each solstice, basically, the cycle to a moon cycle, whenever the moon's in full moon or in a new moon phase, it really has about of a three-day effect, where the energy kind of begins to slow, to sit, and then to re-engage again. And it takes about three days to do that.

So in antiquity, winter solstice... we may have a kitten joining us. Winter solstice was all about connecting into the season of asking the light to return. And I think so often, especially, well, anywhere in the world, so often when we talk about winter solstice, coming into winter, we here, we think that we're coming, "Oh, we're coming into a time of darkness." Well, actually, we're starting the birth of the light.

So in the north hemisphere, ever since the middle of summer, when the light was at its fullest, its peak, at zenith, right, we actually have been experiencing a diminishing of that light. And today we are at that inverse apex, you could say, where the light now, today, will begin to return. And that's... think about it, this time of the year in the northern hemisphere, where many of these practices originated, that's why so many of the religious or spiritual traditions and practices that celebrate this time of year celebrate the return of the light. Christmas, birth of Christ, the return of the light. We have a Christmas tree, illuminate a tree, bringing it back into the energy that will bring us flowering and fruiting and life, life-sustaining energy. Hanukkah, the celebration of lights, the miracle of the light. I mean, even in Hindu perspective, we've just... we recently had Diwali, so there's the lighting of various colored candles, with representing, and this connection, this honoring of light.

So right now, here in the winter, in the northern hemisphere, with the winter solstice, we're really just kind of coming to stillness. Conversely, in the southern hemisphere, as you've reached that apex of light, you're also coming to a point of stillness. Just have a lot of light, right? We have a lot of the darkness. These are both excellent times to examine the opposite of what is occurring. It's more natural winter for us to experience, to explore light. It's easier, right? I will encourage all of our wonderful friends below the equator, if you're experiencing this time of... actually a great time to dive into your shadows, to see where your light can illuminate, can shed light, literally, in new and redefining ways for you, just like atmosphere when we're encouraged to shine light into those dark places.

So I really feel like all of our solstice activities really surround about this time of culminating stillness and peace. Stillness and peace tend to be activated very profoundly in our sixth chakra, pineal gland, right in the center of our head. There's a great connection between these chakra points and the pineal gland. So there's more than... we think of our bodies containing seven main chakra points. Well, there's many more than that. Technically there's 114 chakras, two of which we can't really do anything about, 112 of which are inside of our body and are by us. There's four of those, of those 112, that won't activate until 108 going, so we don't really worry about 109, 110, 111 and 112 yet. We really focus...

Kitten here! Do you see the Christmas kitten? Can you see the Christmas kitten over here? This is Esme. Jeremy's trying to find her. Hey, baby, are you bringing the light? Yes, you are. You want to talk about a powerful meditator, this baby. It's unreal. I've never seen anything like it. I digress, I apologize. Proud mama. I was trying to find her. There she is.

So we think chakras on our energy points in these ways that we can connect to energy much more powerful, much more poignant, whenever we activate all of these chakras. It's easier sometimes in our human existence to kind of categorize things, right? When we can make categories, it just sort of breaks things down in a way that's a bit more palatable. You think, "Oh, I have 108. How am I gonna balance 108 chakras? Where are they? What do they look like? What do they do?" All these questions. So when we actually kind of simplify it down into seven primary chakra centers, then it's applicable, easier to experience.

So today we're really going to work on... we're actually going to work on three main chakra centers within our physical body and one that sits right outside. So anytime I call one, I'm actually... my baby... I'm talking about our first energy, our first chakra, the muladhara chakra, here in the base of our spine. When I call four, talking about our heart, the anahata chakra. When I call six, I'm talking about the pineal gland chakra, the ajna chakra, that place of insight and vision. And then when I call eight, it sits right above our head. I actually kind of feel it... it'll sometimes, it shifts into, but you'll feel where that energy center is for you. And it may be a little lower, it may be... you'll know exactly where it is. You can sense it through, by your energy body. You may want to take a moment, kind of just palpate that. What does that feel like to you? Tall, height, it doesn't matter. It's not necessarily indicative. There's a lot of things that go in the placement of the chakras. Everything is about harmony and reference, and that's what we're getting into today.

So, well, also some time to where we're really going to allow... I'd like you to get lost in this center. And I say center because in sacred geometry, we know that there's two main shapes that really connect us to the experience of all it is. The first is a single point. That single point represents the divine. Then there is a circle, a boundary of sorts. You can much liken it to our bodies, our physical systems, right, connecting into the defined understanding, the third dimension, the space of time, matter, right, definition. And when we combine these two, the circle and the point, it helps us to go into a much deeper place.

So one of the things that we'll be looking at today is working into this pineal gland. I have a little bit of an aid to get into that, and yeah, Jeremy will show you. So here, if you are able to join us today, looking at the screen, just continue to stare directly into that center point of light, into that originating point. And as you do, your eyes will begin to relax, and you'll begin to almost lose yourself beyond any space or time. You lose yourself in these patterns, in this geometry and these colors. And by doing so, we begin to activate and enliven our pineal center. It's actually made of crystals. There's all throughout the pineal center that activate. And so using the bowl, this piezoelectric effect, conducting energy from our surroundings, body, up into that space, it will provide a much deeper and more interesting experience.

Are you ready? Okay. I think she's ready. I don't know if she's going to stay when the bowls go, but we'll see. So today I'm not gonna... I'm going to allow a lot more allowance. So today I encourage you, however you want to experience the comfort in your body. Good. If you're able to be seated, sitting up, that would be very helpful for yourself. That'll be helpful too, but you do you. Today, this is all about offering ourselves an opportunity to reconnect with peace through surrender.

So take a deep inhale in. Hold that breath in, hold that breath, and begin to relax your body. Then exhale, let it go. Take another deep inhale in. Hold that breath in. Relax your heart. Then when you're ready, just gently let the breath go. I'd like for you to begin to focus on nothing. Just allow your eyes to soften, your heart to soften.

Would feel more safe, more secure and grounded if you were to establish grounding. So if this feels good to you, if you already have a grounding practice, I invite you to begin it now. If you don't, I invite you to think, imagine or feel a golden cord descending from the very base of your spine, wrapping down through the floor, down into the core of the Earth. When it hits the core of the Earth, it gently connects, entwines, find safety and shelter in the very center of the planet, knowing that anything that you're ready to let go of will gently release down this golden cord of light. Anything that no longer has a place, to return, to reset. Beautiful.

Take a deep inhale in, breathing into your heart. Hold that breath in, that breath. Allow your heart to relax. Allow your body to relax. There you go. Grounding into this heart space, this fourth energy center. In fact, lose yourself here. Feel into your heart.

Your heart is expanding and growing, almost as though it's lifting your entire body, this light as a feather, connecting to something much greater than you. It's all around you, this energy, and find that energy in opening your heart space, this fourth center. Feel it. Feel four. Thank you. Thank you.

Take a deep inhale in. Hold that breath in. Relax your heart. Relax your entire body, and let it go. Take another deep inhale in, feeling that expansion in your heart, your entire system relaxing, your heart. And then gently let it go.

Now I invite you to think, imagine or feel this radiance of light that's circling your entire body, surrounding you, uplifting your physical system. And you feel it emanating here in the center part of your chest, your heart. Now invite a golden light into your heart space right now. Golden light. It innervates a system, and it rebalances it. It reconnects you to your information divine. Begin welcoming this golden light into your heart space. Bring as much golden that feels good to you. You may continue to drink it in all day. You may need just a sip right now. Allow that color to come in, circulating through your entire system. Good. We're energizing the energy that you've already begun to cultivate here in your heart. The gold acts as a catalyst to harmonize within a single center. Beautiful.

Now I like to do is to begin to move this energy from your fourth center. Think about, feel this energy that you can sense in your space begins to move upward, begins to move up into your throat, and then you feel it rising, center part of your brain, of your head. Good. Now let's make a pattern of that. Feel the energy in your chest. In your mind's eye, think, imagine or feel that pineal gland. It sits in the very center part, slightly back. In your mind's eye, see the crystals that make up the pineal gland. You could see them as crystals, just like these bowls. You could see them however is right for you. Sense those crystals.

Now begin to direct the energy from your heart space that you've cultivated here in your physical body. Begin to lift that energy upward into your pineal gland. That's your target. Straight up. Good. Feeling that energy rising. You may feel a tingling in your head. Sometimes it's helpful to use the breath. We can do a modified version of that. If you take a deep inhale in, inhale, sense that you're inhaling into your heart itself. Then begin to direct that breath, that energy, that life force from your fourth, bringing part of that gold energy with you, up into the pineal. Just drink it in. Drink it in and up.

Now you continue that at your own pace, however you need, to bring as much energy as you can in this moment from your heart. Drinking it in and up. Drawing it in. Some of you, if you're in a very physicalized body, if you connect to bandhas, you can utilize bandhas to help you propel that energy upward. Some of you will just naturally sense the energy rise from the fourth, flowing up the fifth and landing six. Feeling that six vibrate. Bless it. Bring more energy and more life to your sixth chakra. Now begin to focus on this divine point. Lose yourself in these images. Flow into the center.

Gently breathing into your heart, letting your heart relax, and then moving that energy upwards into your sixth chakra. Bless its energy. Allow it to bless your body, to bless your life.

Take a deep inhale in, holding it into your heart. Hold that, hold that breath. Allow the body to relax. Get lost in your six. Give it energy, give it life. This is where we integrate with truth in an unbounded way.

Begin to sense those crystals in your pineal gland, there by your sixth chakra. Sense those crystals shaking, vibrating, shimmering, undulating. Allow that energy to become more alive. Take a deep inhale in, breathing in this new life, this new experience. Holding that, directing that energy straight up into your brain. It's energy in your brain. Good. And just when you think you can't hold it any longer, keep holding. Hold. And then let it go.

Take a deep inhale in, breathing into your heart. Holding that, allowing your heart and your body to relax. Re-centering, bringing this healing into your physical space. I invite you now to bring your attention to the base of your spine, to number one, that first energy center, your first chakra. I think, imagine or feel a beautiful red. Any red that feels good to you. Perhaps it's a Christmas red, a cherry red, an apple red. Find your red. Begin to invite that color into your first chakra. Enlivening, blessing, realigning. This is a very soft and peaceful energy that you're bringing in right now. Even though it's red, your body's asking for you to be very gentle with yourself. Just allowing that red to sweetly seep in to your space. Beautiful. Connecting with the idea of flexibility, transformation, coherence and stability.

Gently now shifting your attention upward to your fourth, your heart. If you can imagine or feel a gorgeous green, a holiday green, an emerald green, tree green. Gently asking, inviting this energy into your heart space. This is so soft. It's as quiet, it's as peaceful as after a winter snow, where the air is still. Beautiful. Inviting in this green, filling your heart space, welcoming in peace, harmony, love. Feeling that green invigorating your heart space in such a beautiful and powerful way.

Begin to harmonize four with one. Bring balance between the two. If you feel one of those energy centers is maybe not as strong as the other, bring it up to the strength of whichever one that feels good to you. That's where you'll find your balance. Balance these two energy centers. Bless them. One, one and four. One grounds our physical body. Four connects our physical body and our outer and upper bodies. We need the balance between the two. It brings us greater peace. Your attention on one, your attention on four.

Now begin to slide your attention towards six, the ajna chakra, the center part of your brain. You can feel that pineal gland still shimmering and dancing. All of your head is beginning to vibrate in a way that's awakening new information, new consciousness, new healing. Bringing in an indigo color, the color of a winter night sky. Feeling it fill your entire head area. It'll go exactly where it needs to go. Bringing in the ideas of integration, truth, unboundedness.

Now, as you focus in this center point of this kaleidoscope of life in front of you, a kaleidoscope of colors, begin to sense the energy in your sixth chakra. Then begin to sense the energy in your fourth chakra. Feel that at the same time. Six, four. Six, four. Six, four, four. Now sense six, feel four, and experience one, all at the same time. Balancing the energy of all three centers. Feel the balance between all three centers. Perfect harmony. Good. Beautiful.

Feeling the movement from the base of your spine. Feeling that energy move from one, to four in your heart, up to six in your head. Gorgeous. Now begin to feel that energy that's moving from the base of your spine, and in one, up through into four, into six. Feel it shifting all the way up, outside of your body, above your head. Your head... does it, circles up and around, coming back through, entering through the bottom of your spine again at one, moving up through four, into six, into eight, circling out, around and down, in a peaceful, beautiful dance that feels so calming to your nervous system. This flow: one, four, six and eight, balanced in harmony. One, four, six and eight.

Bringing your attention now to six, sitting in the center of your head. What do you see? And you see those crystals in the center part of that pinecone-shaped pineal gland, this eye that connects us to a deeper, more real sight. What are you experiencing? Go where the energy leads you.

Take a deep inhale in. Gently hold that breath, and allow your heart and your mind to relax. And then exhale. Take another deep inhale in, holding that breath, relaxing the heart, relaxing the mind. And when you're ready, and only when you're ready, let it go. Take a deep inhale in. Relax it out. Take another deep breath in. Begin to wiggle your toes and your nose, coming back into this space and time. Being very gentle with yourself right now.

How are you feeling? Hmm. You may find it helpful just to gently begin to rub your palms together, gathering some energy. When you feel like you have enough in your palms, just begin to breathe it in. You can cover your eyes, either flat palm, or some like to cup. Breathing in that energy. You can hold those palms over your heart. You keep rubbing your hands. You could do this all over your body, wherever it feels good, whatever it feels like it delivers something that you need in this moment.

How are you, my friends? Welcome back. Yeah, it's a very different type of experience. The pineal gland is such a powerful tool of realization, of experience, of life, when we get to activate it. I find it such a beautiful, sacred and precious time. Within it there's a lot of opportunity for grace. So I'd love to hear how that was for you. What did that feel like? What did you experience? What did you see? What did you not see? What did you feel? What did you not feel? There's no right or wrong. That's the beauty of the journey that we're all going on together.

…I will, a lot of times, I reflect on what the bowls have done, and maybe I'll do that just real quick here. So when normal or other sessions, frequently we're always working with the energy of the sky or the energy of the world around us, right? We tap into astrology, we tap into astrological occurrences, astronomic occurrences, and really fuse that science with esoteric science and deeper understandings and how we move. And with that, we connect with very specific themes. And today, and so the bowls will have very specific things that they say.

Today the bowls said "flow" to me. It was more what the bowls presented. It was the balance between individual notes and the volume. It was really interesting. There were so many times the bowls said, "Turn down the volume," which frequently, they usually say, "Turn up the volume." Today it was very much a turning down of the volume, which in retrospect makes much sense, right? We're coming towards a place of peace. We're coming towards a place of stillness, coming out of a season, either coming out of a place of a lot of light or coming out of a place of losing light, to return back towards the light itself, and vice versa. So we need these moments of repose. We need these moments of silence.

I was speaking with someone earlier this week, and they were asking about composing music and whatnot, and I said, "You know, I think one of the most important things is being able to understand the importance of silence, because it's in understanding the silence that any sound that is ever made becomes more meaningful." That's true for all of life, right? When we're constantly surrounded by noise, we don't actually know what's important. We become reactive. We respond out of knee-jerk reactions or conditioning, as opposed to when we come from a place of silence or stillness, we have much more discernment to know what needs our attention and what doesn't. So the bowls were very much directing us towards those places today. So that's what they told me.