Qarrtsiluni. Inuit, Iñupiaq / v. / kʌːrʒ.sɪ.luːnɪ / kartz-sih-loo-nih – Sitting together in the darkness, perhaps expectantly (e.g., waiting for something to happen or to ‘burst forth’); the strange quiet before a momentous event.
The hunters gather quietly inside. One by one, they enter and sit in the silent darkness. No lamps, no light, they just sit and wait together. The Inuit people of the Arctic Circle honor the gifts of the whale. In the sparse tundra, the whale gives them life — food, clothing, … and songs.
In the silence of group thought, the expectant anticipation is rich for creativity. Out of the darkness comes inspiration streaming into their collective consciousness. When the silence breaks, the collective voices bring forth the whale song of the year. And so begins the festival in honor of the whale soul.
Out of the quiet darkness
In the darkness of uncertainty that enters every New Year, I sit in my own Quarrtsiluni and I wait … and I wait … and I wait. When the song of the year comes forth, my heart lightens, my thoughts clear, and a quiet calm settles over me. Something is about to happen. I can feel it coming.
Release and Renewal
This week, I sit in the Quarrtsiluni of a New Year’s retreat that I co-teach with Suzanne Scurlock. We sit in the metaphorical darkness together of an online gathering as our New Year intentions find clarity and expectancy. Whatever your ritual at this time of year, allow the wisdom of Quarrtsiluni to inspire you.
ReleaseAndRenewal.com … Annual retreat … Now Online Jan 8 – 10, 2021.