Shadows of Midwinter: Folklore, Dreamwork and the Hidden Self

A gathering exploring winter traditions, symbolic rituals, dreams, and the quiet inner night.

As November leans toward its darkest turning, old traditions across England, Celtic lands and the Norse world all agreed on one thing: midwinter is a threshold. The nights sharpen. Dreams grow heavier. The unconscious rises. Symbols speak more clearly in the long dark.

This evening is part folklore, part reflection and part ritual. A gentle descent into the winter psyche for those who feel something shift when the world grows quiet and the light thins.

Winter has always been seen as a threshold season. In folklore, the long nights reveal spirits, symbols and hidden truths. In Jungian psychology, winter mirrors the rise of the shadow and the deeper self, and dreams become doorways into the unconscious.

By bringing these ideas together we explore the inner winter, the quiet landscape inside us where symbols, memories and intuition grow clearer. This gathering is a way to meet that hidden self through stories, ritual, dreamwork and reflection.

We will explore winter lore from the Celts, Norse and Anglo Saxons, including the Cailleach, Alban Arthan, the Wild Hunt, Yule customs and Modraniht, along with the deeper meaning of the solstice as stillness and renewal.

Everything is gentle and optional. You can simply listen, write or reflect quietly.

🕯️Opening Reflection: Winter Lore and the Long Night

A short introduction to:

• Celtic, Norse and Anglo Saxon winter traditions
• Alban Arthan and the Cailleach
• Yule fires, ancestral nights and winter spirits
• The Wild Hunt and the idea of the wandering soul
• The solstice as stillness and return of light
• Winter as a psychological descent into the hidden self

💬 Circle Conversation: Symbols, Shadows and Winter Dreams

A gentle conversation around questions such as:
• What does winter awaken in you
• Which symbols or dreams return in the dark months
• Why does silence feel different in winter
• What is the shadow in Jung’s sense and how does this season reveal it
• What part of you feels most present in the long night
You can share or simply listen.

☁️ Quiet Meditation: Crossing Into the Midwinter Mind

Close your eyes and picture yourself entering a winter landscape inside yourself. Frosted branches. A quiet field. A dark sky scattered with distant stars. Walk slowly into this place where old stories say the outer winter meets the inner winter. Notice what symbol, figure or memory rises to meet you. There is nothing to achieve. Simply breathe and follow the image until you feel ready to return.

🔮 Midwinter Rituals: Dreams, Symbols and Small Acts of Winter Magic

These practices are completely optional. You can take part in all, some or none of them.

✧ Dream Incubation
Write a question you want your winter dreams to hold. It may be about wisdom, renewal, change or something you wish to understand. Fold it into your notebook or pocket and carry it through the season.

✧ Winter Symbol Sketch
Draw a symbol that reflects your winter inner world. It may be a tree, an animal, a star, a rune or something from your meditation. This becomes a guide for the long nights ahead.

✧ Knot Magic
Tie a single knot in a small piece of string, or symbolically tie one with your fingers. The knot represents something you wish to hold, protect or release during the winter season.

✧ Winter Table Offerings
You are welcome to place a small object on the shared winter table. A stone, a leaf, a charm, a rune, a line of poetry or anything that feels meaningful. This is a quiet gesture of intention or remembrance, inspired by old midwinter customs.

📓 Dreamwork and Reflective Prompts (Optional)

Time to write or reflect quietly. Nothing needs to be shared.
• A symbol that returns to me each winter
• A dream that walks with me through the long night
• Something the hidden self reveals in silence
• A message from the deeper season
• The part of me that the winter protects
You may also bring or write a short poem if the moment moves you.

🕯️ You Might Bring (Optional)

• 📓 a notebook for reflections or dream notes
• 🪶 a small token for the winter table, such as a leaf, feather or charm
• 🔮 a rune, stone or symbolic object that feels meaningful
• 🌿 a winter herb like pine, rosemary, bay or juniper
• 📜 a poem, quote or short passage from winter folklore
• 🧵 a small string or thread for knot magic (optional)

🌒 Closing Reading

A short reading from Rilke, Estes, Hughes or Jung followed by a few minutes of silence to honour the long night and whatever surfaced during the evening. You are welcome to share a final thought or line if you feel called.

🚶‍♂️ Optional Night Walk

After the circle, join a short, quiet walk to close the night together.
We will head toward one of Manchester’s atmospheric corners, such as the Cathedral grounds, Chetham’s Library or St Ann’s Churchyard, depending on the weather and the group. These places are full of winter lore, old stones and a sense of stillness that suits the season.
If the group prefers something gentler, we may wander toward a nearby pub for a warm drink and soft conversation. The walk is simply a way to let the evening settle and to step into the November dark with a little company.

🌟 The Spirit

This is not a séance or a performance.
It is a reflective winter gathering for those drawn to folklore, dreams, ritual, psychology and the soft mystery of the long night.

A space for introverts, readers, wanderers and thoughtful souls - anyone drawn to the stories that flicker at the edge of the season.

⭐ About This Circle

The Ghostlights collective is a quiet creative community for people who feel drawn to symbols, stories, imagination and the hidden layers of life. It began as a gentle alternative to loud or overwhelming social spaces, offering a place where depth is welcome and reflection can happen without pressure.

You do not need any background in mythology, psychology or spirituality to feel at home here. Curiosity is enough. Every gathering is open to creatives, book lovers, wanderers, deep thinkers and anyone who moves through the world a little differently.

Our meetings follow the seasons, the shifting light, and the inner landscapes that come alive in winter. You are welcome whether you choose to speak, listen, write or simply sit quietly with the atmosphere of the night.

Ghostlights is for those who notice small things, who carry stories, who feel the world at a slant, and who find comfort in the mystery of the darker months. Thank you for being part of this space.

👤 About Your Host

This gathering is led by Dan, a writer and photographer with a long-standing interest in folklore, dreams and the inner world. He created Ghostlights as a calm space for reflection, creativity and meaningful conversation. You are welcome whether you prefer to share or simply listen.