Winter Solstice Ceremony - Our Annual Silent Ceremony, Berkeley

The Winter Solstice Ceremony is an annual silent ceremony in Berkeley, California, held at the turning of the year when the nights are longest. It is for people who like to mark the seasons with ritual, who are drawn to silence as a shared practice, and who want to meet the darkest part of the year in company. The ceremony is led by Bronwyn Ayla, an acupuncturist, diviner and teacher of energetic mastery, whose work centers on attuning to seasonal cycles.

What to Expect

This is a silent ceremony, and it returns every year as part of a rhythm of seasonal gatherings in Berkeley. The same community also gathers for a Winter Begins Ceremony, an Autumn Equinox Ceremony and a Summer Begins Ceremony, so the solstice sits within a larger practice of following the turning wheel of the year rather than standing alone.

Silence is the central feature. Rather than a day of talking, teaching and discussion, a silent ceremony asks participants to arrive, settle and take part through presence, attention and the shared quiet of the room. The winter solstice is the season's threshold, a natural moment for stillness, reflection and prayer, and the ceremony gives that moment a form.

About Bronwyn Ayla

Bronwyn Ayla is an alchemist, dancer, diviner, acupuncturist, temple tender and practitioner of sacred medical arts. Initiated in a variety of mystery schools, she draws from diverse traditions as she seeks to bring what is most essential to her listeners on the path of energetic mastery.

Her work helps people connect to their sacred, embodied wisdom and to the nourishment of their destiny by aligning their prayer with their outer lives. She does this through direct transmission, initiations, rituals and attuning to seasonal cycles, which is why a solstice ceremony sits so naturally in her teaching.

Bronwyn holds regular online courses on the path of healing and energetic mastery. People who work with her learn to hold everything they encounter as medicine, a way of meeting experience that supports transformation and awakening. In 1998 she founded the Wu Wei School of Reiki and the Holistic Medical Arts clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she has been teaching and practicing in the region since.

The Setting

The ceremony takes place in Berkeley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of several Berkeley gatherings through the year, which include in-person Mystery School immersions, so many people who attend are already part of an ongoing circle. Newcomers who feel called to the season are also part of the invitation.

Before You Go

Because the ceremony is silent, it suits anyone willing to keep quiet together, whether they are long-time ceremonial practitioners or simply curious about marking the solstice in a contemplative way. Questions about the ceremony, the Mystery School or scheduling can be sent to the organizer through the contact details shown on the event listing.