January Theme: Return to the Light
January arrives quietly. After the outward brightness of the holidays fades, we are left with stillness, long nights, and an invitation many cultures have honored for centuries: to turn inward, restore the body, and tend the roots before growth begins again.
At 1881, we call this seasonal pause Return to the Light—a time for intention-setting, grounding practices, and gentle recalibration of the nervous system as daylight slowly lengthens.
A Season of Inner Reflection
Historically, January was not a time of rapid movement—it was a time of maintenance, contemplation, and conservation of energy.
- Agrarian traditions across Europe and early America viewed midwinter as a time to rest the land and strengthen the body with stored roots, grains, and preserved herbs.
- Monastic and devotional practices emphasized silence, candlelight, and introspection during the coldest months.
- Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine recognize winter as the season of deep yin—associated with stillness, restoration, and foundational energy.
These traditions understood something modern life often forgets: light does not return through force—it emerges through patience and care.
Grounding & the Root Chakra
January energy can feel unsteady—new year pressure + old year exhaustion = spiritual whiplash.
Grounding helps bring us back into our bodies and into the present moment.
January aligns naturally with root chakra support, focusing on:
- Safety
- Stability
- Belonging
- Physical nourishment
Grounding practices were historically simple yet powerful:
- Sitting close to fire or candlelight
- Working with soil, roots, and mineral-rich foods
- Gentle body care rather than strenuous exertion
Simple winter grounding practices:
- Warm foot soaks (bonus points for magnesium or salt)
- Slow, intentional movement like yin or restorative yoga
- Sitting with your back supported (walls are underrated heroes)
- Salt therapy, breathwork, or simply laying down and doing absolutely nothing (advanced practice)
- Self-reflection questions:
What supports me at my foundation? What can I release to feel steadier moving forward?
Mineral-Rich Herbs for Winter Support
Winter asks us to rebuild, not just survive. Mineral-rich herbs help replenish what stress, cold, and holiday chaos may have depleted.
Look for herbs that support:
- Nervous system nourishment
- Adrenal resilience
- Bone and tissue strength
🌿 Think roots, leaves, and slow infusions—herbs that work patiently, like winter itself.
Our Herbal Apothecary highlights these winter allies in teas, tinctures, and blends designed to support grounding, replenishment, and steady energy as the light returns.
Bodywork as Seasonal Medicine
Massage was historically considered a restorative necessity, especially in colder months when circulation slows and joints stiffen.
January is ideal for:
- Slower, grounding massage techniques
- Warmth-based therapies
- Nervous system regulation
Consider one of these 1881 massage services this season:
- Herbal Poultice Massage
- Sticks & Stones Massage (Warm Bamboo and Himalayan Salt Stones)
- Integrated or Vibrational Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massages
- Or simply adding Hot Himalayan Salt Stones to your massage!
This is not the month to “push through”—it is the month to receive.
Salt Therapy: Breath, Stillness & Mineral Renewal
Salt therapy echoes ancient practices of seeking healing in mineral-rich environments—caves, springs, and coastal air.
During winter, salt sessions offer:
- Respiratory support during cold & flu season
- A calming, meditative atmosphere
- A deeply grounding sensory experience
The soft light, quiet, and mineral-rich air create space to breathe deeply and reconnect with the body’s rhythms—a modern return to ancient simplicity.
Yoga for Winter: Less Doing, More Being
Our January yoga offerings honor the season’s call for gentle strength and intentional rest:
- Restorative Yoga – supported postures to calm the nervous system
- Yoga Nidra – guided rest for deep mental and emotional renewal
- Yin Yoga (Winter Theme) – slow holds targeting connective tissue and joints
- Mobility – gentle, mindful movement to maintain ease without strain
Each practice invites you to move with the season rather than against it.
Womyn’s Circle: Emotional Detachment & Release
Historically, winter gatherings were spaces for storytelling, wisdom-sharing, and emotional processing.
Our Womyn’s Circle this month centers on emotional detachment—not as avoidance, but as:
- Releasing what no longer serves
- Creating healthy energetic boundaries
- Allowing clarity to emerge through stillness
January teaches us that letting go is not loss—it is preparation.
An Evening of Stories, Spirit & Subtle Light: Jennifer LaRue’s Intimate Gallery
Throughout history, the darkest months of the year were often illuminated not by spectacle, but by shared stories and spiritual reflection. Winter was a time when communities gathered closely—listening, remembering, and finding meaning together by firelight.
Jennifer LaRue’s Intimate Gallery echoes this timeless tradition.
Rather than individual, on-demand readings, the gallery offers a collective experience where multiple guests come together as Jennifer connects with Spirit and shares messages, insights, and stories that often resonate far beyond one person. Not everyone receives a direct reading—yet nearly everyone leaves feeling seen, affirmed, and deeply connected.
In the context of Return to the Light, this gathering becomes a powerful form of inner illumination:
- Light emerging through shared experience
- Clarity unfolding through listening rather than striving
- Emotional release without attachment to outcome
This style of gallery mirrors January’s deeper teaching: we do not always need answers—sometimes we need resonance.
Held within the sanctuary’s quiet, grounded space, the intimate gallery becomes a modern ritual of remembrance and reconnection—where the light returns not loudly, but meaningfully.
Returning to the Light—Together
The return of light is subtle at first. A few extra minutes of daylight. A quiet shift in energy. A soft inner knowing.
This month, we invite you to:
- Nourish your roots
- Slow your pace
- Release excess
- Tend your inner flame
Because growth does not begin in spring—it begins now, in the dark, with intention.
✨ Welcome to January. Welcome back to the light.
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