In the cycle of the year, midwinter is a time of deep inwardness, when the earth sleeps and the outer world falls still, the human soul is invited to awaken. In Steiner education, this season holds a quiet, sacred rhythm. It is not a time of doing, but of being. A time to turn toward the inner light, gently glowing beneath the hush of winter’s mantle.
Children and adults alike are nourished by the gesture of carrying light into the darkness through candle, lantern, and song. This image speaks to the human capacity for hope, reverence, and renewal. Just as the sun begins its slow return, so too may our inner spark grow steady and strong.
In Aotearoa, this soul-filled moment is beautifully mirrored in the rising of Matariki, the constellation that heralds the Māori New Year.
As the stars appear once more in the eastern sky, whānau across the land gather to:
Remember those who have passed
Give thanks for the fruits of the year
Plant the seeds of intention for the time to come
At Willowsong, we hold these rhythms close. In the flicker of a lantern and the twinkle of a star, we find deep meaning honouring both the wairua within and the cosmos above.
May this season bless each soul with warmth, peace, and renewed wonder.
xxx
