Winter’s Wisdom: 13 Days of Reflection & Deep Listening
An invitation to slow down and reconnect—with yourself, your loved ones, the land, and your culture. Rooted in Indigenous values, this journey celebrates the wisdom of our ancestors and the transformative power of deep listening.
🌲 Why Deep Listening?
Deep listening is an act of stillness and presence. By listening deeply—to ourselves, the land, and one another—we honour the teachings of our ancestors and create space for healing, growth, and cultural revitalization.
🌟 How It Works
From December 9 to 21, explore 13 days of reflection and listening. Each day features prompts and practices to help you:
- Pause and embrace stillness
- Deepen your connection to yourself, your community, and the land.
- Find wisdom in reflection and growth.
✨ Ways to Participate
- Reflect through journaling, art, storytelling, or meditation.
- Share your experiences with our online community.
- Engage with daily themes and activities in a way that resonates with you.
This journey is yours to shape. Whether you join every day or just a few, let it guide you toward meaningful connection and reflection.
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
Our ancestors have paved the way for us—what do you hear when you sit in stillness and listen to them?
Today, we invite you to take a moment to reflect, to sit in stillness, and to connect with the enduring wisdom of those who came before us.
Through ceremony, quiet reflection, or symbolic gestures of gratitude, honour the guidance and teachings of your ancestors. Carry their voices forward, knowing their journeys continue through you.
As you complete your reflections today, take a moment to notice how the connection to your ancestors feels. Does it ground you, inspire you, or fill you with gratitude? Carry this energy with you as a reminder that their wisdom is always within reach.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What teachings or lessons from your ancestors guide you in your daily life?
- When you reflect on their journeys, what messages do you feel they are sending you, and how can you carry these forward?
- How can you honour the wisdom of those who came before you in your choices, relationships, or actions today?
Light a Candle
Offer gratitude to your ancestors through a candle, fire, smudge, or symbolic offering, creating a moment of connection and honour.
Walk in Nature
Visit a place that connects you to your roots. Reflect on the relationship your ancestors had with the land and what it means for you today.
Listen to Jeremy Dutcher
Experience Jeremy Dutcher’s music and reflections on ancestral wisdom through Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, a modern tribute to his cultural heritage.
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
The land speaks to us through its winds, waters, and trees. What does the land around you say today?
Today, we encourage you to step outside, even if just for a moment, and listen to the sounds of the earth.
Whether it’s the whisper of the wind or the crunching of the snow, the land holds wisdom and stories waiting to be heard. Take this time to reflect on the lessons nature offers.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What sounds do you notice around you—are they natural or human-made?
- How do these sounds make you feel?
- What do you think the land might be telling you today?
Pause & Feel
Close your eyes and stand still. Notice the wind, vibrations, or distant sounds, and reflect on how they connect you to winter.
Listen to Sounds of Winter (1min)
Embrace the serene and rhythmic sounds of winter, connecting with the season’s natural melody.
🎧 Listen Now
Collect
Pick up a stone, leaf, or pinecone from the land. Hold it, observe its details, and consider its journey. What story does this object tell about the land?
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
What stories, thoughts, or feelings have your loved ones shared that you may not have fully listened to?
💙 Today, we invite you to connect with a loved one and engage in a heartfelt conversation.
⭐ Take the time to truly listen, honouring their words, feelings, and stories with your full attention.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What story or message stood out to you in the conversation or audio you listened to today?
- How did the words or emotions shared make you feel, and what connections did you notice to your own life?
- What can you do to honour the stories or lessons you heard, and how might they inspire you moving forward?
Send it out
Write down three things you deeply appreciate about a loved one, even if they’ve never been said out loud. Then, take a quiet moment to meditate or sit with these thoughts, sending your gratitude to them energetically or in your heart.
Heartfelt Gratitude
Create a small note of gratitude—either written or mental—for the person who shared their story. If possible, share it with them, or simply hold the feeling of appreciation in your heart.
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
How does your culture speak to you? Through traditions, teachings, or ceremonies?
🎨 Today, we encourage you to engage with a cultural practice that resonates with YOU—whether it’s through language, ceremony, storytelling, or creating something with your hands.
🌲 Embrace the wisdom and strength of your cultural roots.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What cultural practices or traditions bring you the most comfort or strength, and why?
- How do you feel connected to your ancestors or cultural roots through the things you do today?
- What is one cultural teaching or story that has shaped your perspective, and how does it guide you?
Create
Create something inspired by your culture—art, a craft, or a recipe—and reflect on its connection to your roots.
Gathering at the Roots
The creatures of the forest expand their circle, welcoming new voices, but in doing so, drift away from the cedar’s roots. When Hare and Fox urge them to reflect, they realize the importance of staying grounded in the connections that hold them together. By returning to the roots and weaving new paths, they restore their circle and strengthen the forest, balancing growth with deep connection.
📑 Text Version
Art Installation (5min)
Listen to this art exhibit overview from Jaimie Isaac & Jocelyn Piirainen on subsistence living and the importance of the Seal Hunt.
🎧 Listen Now
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
Our languages carry the wisdom of our ancestors. How do you honour your language or those you wish to learn?
🗣️ Today, take a moment to learn or practice an Indigenous word or phrase, and reflect on its meaning.
⭐ Each word carries the stories and teachings of those who came before us—let’s honour and preserve our languages.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What cultural practices or traditions bring you the most comfort or strength, and why?
- How do you feel connected to your ancestors or cultural roots through the things you do today?
- What is one cultural teaching or story that has shaped your perspective, and how does it guide you?
Inuktitut
Check out this language resource for Inuktitut! Remember to change your dialect to Nunatsiavut.
ℹ️ More info
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
What do you find in the quiet spaces between thoughts and words?
📵 Take a moment today to sit in complete silence—no phones, no distractions.
💙 In the stillness, listen to your inner self and the messages that emerge. Embrace the peace that silence brings, and reflect on your experience.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What feelings arise when you sit in silence?
- What messages or thoughts come to the surface when there’s nothing to distract you?
- How does silence feel—comforting, challenging, or something else entirely?
Silent Observation
Choose a window to look out of or a calm space to sit. Observe what’s happening around you without speaking or reacting—just quietly notice the world. Reflect on what you noticed in the stillness that you might usually overlook.
Guided Meditation (3mins)
Short and quick 3-minute guided breathing meditation to help you recognize symptoms of anxiety and reset your mind.
🎧 Listen Here
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
The land holds the stories of those who came before us. What stories does it share with you?
🌲 Today, take a walk or sit in a place that holds meaning for you.
❤️🔥 Reflect on the history and the stories embedded in the land beneath your feet. Listen closely, and let the land’s wisdom and memories speak to you.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What do you feel or imagine when you think about the history of the land you visited today?
- How does the land speak to you—through its sights, sounds, or sensations? What stories might it be sharing?
- How can you honour the stories and wisdom of the land in your daily life or actions?
Story Stone
Find a stone or small natural object from the land you visit. Hold it in your hand and reflect on what stories it might carry from the past. Keep it as a reminder of the connection you felt with the land.
Land Offering
Leave a small offering, such as a pinch of tobacco, cedar, or another meaningful item, as a way of giving thanks to the land. Reflect on what you are grateful for and the stories the land holds.
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
What wisdom has been passed down to you through Elders or Traditional Knowledge Keepers?
👂 Today, we invite you to engage in a conversation with an Elder or listen to a recording of their teachings.
💙 If you’re unable to connect with an Elder, we’ve gathered a couple of their shared stories for you to reflect on. Take this opportunity to honour their wisdom and guidance.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What is one teaching, story, or piece of advice from an Elder or Knowledge Keeper that has deeply resonated with you? How has it influenced your life or perspective?
- Think about the values or traditions that have been passed down in your family or community. How do you embody or carry forward these teachings in your daily life?
- How do you show respect and gratitude for the wisdom of Elders and Knowledge Keepers in your community? Are there ways you could deepen your connection to their teachings?
Sharing Wisdom through Food
Prepare or share a meal that reflects a teaching or tradition.
Story Journaling
After listening to a loved one or an Elder’s story, write down the parts that resonated with you the most. Reflect on why these moments stood out and what lessons they hold for you.
Listen to Elder’s Stories (9mins)
Listen to Elder Marjorie Muise share her winter solstice story.
📑 Text Version
⭐ Reflection Prompt:
When you listen to the future, what do you hear for yourself, your family, and your community?
⭐ Take time today to reflect on your hopes and visions for the future.
How can your actions today honour and support future generations? Let’s work together to create a future rooted in respect, love, and cultural strength.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What kind of world do you want to see for the generations to come?
- How can you show care for the land and the people around you today?
- What do you want people to remember about you in the future? How can you live by your values?
Values Vision
Imagine yourself in the future. What kind of person are you, and what matters most to you? Think about values like kindness, respect, or caring for the land. Write down or draw the values you want to live by. These will guide your choices and help you create the future you dream of.
Seeds of the Future
Reflect on the legacy you are leaving for future generations by examining your impact on the planet. Identify one small, meaningful change you can make to reduce your environmental impact and set respectful examples for your community, such as conserving water, considering places where its practical for you to switch to sustainably packaged items, or ensuring you pick up a piece of litter in a shared space.
Gathering your Gifts
Collect items that symbolize the unique qualities, values, or strengths you bring to your community. These could be tangible objects like a small stone, a meaningful photo, or something you create, or symbolic representations like a drawing or a word written on paper. Reflect on how each item represents the ways you contribute to others—through kindness, creativity, or wisdom. Keep this collection as a reminder of your role in building and supporting community, even from afar.
As the seasons change, nature speaks in cycles. What is it teaching you about transition?
🌒 Today, take a moment to reflect on a natural cycle you are currently experiencing. What lessons about change and resilience can you draw from it?
🌲 Embrace the wisdom of nature as it reminds us that transitions are a part of life’s journey.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What changes in nature have you noticed recently—such as shifts in the weather, the life cycle of plants, or the behaviour of animals? How do these changes make you feel?
- When you think about transitions you are currently experiencing, how can you embrace them as part of a larger cycle?
- Nature often prepares itself for change (e.g., animals storing food for winter, plants shedding leaves to conserve energy). How do you prepare for change in your own life?
Cycle Wheel
Using paper or cardboard, create a “cycle wheel” divided into sections representing the stages of a cycle (e.g., beginning, flourishing, waning, resting). Think about a personal transition and add symbols, colours, or words to each stage of the wheel to represent how your cycle progressed.
Visualization
Sit quietly and visualize a cycle that resonates with you, such as the moon phases, a plant’s growth, or the flow of seasons. Imagine yourself moving through each phase. How do you feel in each stage? What thoughts come to your mind? Reflect on how this cycle parallels transitions in your life.
Sound Cycles
Use your voice, an instrument, or even household objects to create a repeating rhythm or sound pattern that reflects a cycle you’re experiencing. Experiment with changes in speed, volume, or tone to mimic the ebb and flow of transitions in life.
What does your body need from you right now? Have you been listening?
🙆 Today, take a moment to check in with yourself. What does your body need? Whether it’s rest, hydration, nourishment, stretching, or gentle movement, listen to its signals and respond with care.
💙 Nurturing your body is essential to honouring your well-being.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What is one thing your body has been asking for lately—like more rest, water, or movement?
- How do you feel after taking time to care for your body today?
- What is one way you can thank your body for all it does for you?
Nourish
Take a mindful moment to think about how you’ve been nourishing your body. Are you drinking enough water? Take the time to prepare or plan one meal or snack that feels nourishing and restorative, prioritizing what your body needs.
Movement Exploration
Put on some music and allow your body to guide you through gentle, freeform movement. This could be stretching, swaying, or even a slow dance. Let go of structure and focus on how each part of your body feels as you move. This practice helps connect with your body’s natural rhythms and needs.
Stretching (15mins)
These simple stretches can be done standing or sitting in a chair. Perfect for grounding yourself and finding ease in your body.
📽️ Watch HereWhat gifts and strengths do you bring to your community? How can you nurture yourself to better support and uplift others?
⭐ Take time today to reflect on your personal growth and the ways you contribute to the well-being of others. Even when we’re apart, the work we do to heal and strengthen ourselves ripples outward, enriching the communities we are part of.
💙 Focus on how building your skills, practicing kindness, and embracing self-care prepares you to create meaningful connections when the time is right. By listening to yourself first, you can better hear the needs of others.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What is one thing you love about being part of your community, and how do you show your appreciation for it?
- What does being a part of a strong, caring community mean to you?
- How has your community supported you in the past, and how can you give back in a meaningful way?
Contribution
Perform a small act of kindness that aligns with your strengths and doesn’t require in-person connection. This could be writing a supportive message to someone, donating to a cause you care about, or creating something to share later (like a piece of art or a thoughtful letter). Reflect on how these quiet contributions build community over time.
Skill Building
Choose one skill or hobby that you believe could benefit your community in the future—like cooking, storytelling, sewing, or even learning a traditional craft. Spend time today practicing or exploring this skill. Reflect on how building your abilities now can become a gift you share with others later.
Solstice Letter
Write a letter to yourself, dated for this day next year. Reflect on what this solstice has taught you and the intentions you hope to carry forward. Include words of encouragement, hope, and self-compassion. Seal the letter and place it somewhere safe to revisit during next year’s solstice, creating a personal tradition of reflection and growth.
As the longest night approaches, what does the Winter Solstice ask of you?
🌲 As we prepare for the Winter Solstice, take a moment to reflect on its meaning in your life. What lessons does this time of year bring? How will you carry forward the practice of deep listening into the coming year?
⭐ Embrace this opportunity for introspection and renewal.
✍️ Reflection Questions:
- What has the darkness of this season taught you about yourself and your journey?
- What intentions or hopes do you want to bring into the light as the days begin to grow longer?
- How can you use the lessons of rest and renewal from the Winter Solstice to guide you in the year ahead?
Light & Shadow
Sit in a dimly lit space with a candle or small light. Reflect on the light and shadow it casts. Think about the past year: What has been your light (your moments of joy and growth)? What has been your shadow (your challenges or lessons)? Use this time to reflect silently or record your thoughts in another way, like drawing or recording an audio message.
Longest Night
Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and imagine the longest night as a protective blanket, wrapping around you and inviting rest and renewal. Visualize the darkness as a space for growth, like seeds resting in the earth before sprouting. Reflect on what this moment of pause offers you—space to heal, dream, or simply be. When you’re ready, imagine the first light of dawn breaking through, symbolizing hope and the energy to carry forward.
Share your Experience
If you are comfortable sharing some of your reflections or your experience participating in our 13 Days of Listening Winter Solstice countdown, we invite you to continue the conversation over on our social media pages!
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