For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, today marks the Winter Solstice. It is the day marked by the shortest period of daylight and the longest night. It is midwinter, even if the weather hasn’t reached its coldest or its most harsh, that is often still to come. At a time of such metrological and astronomical lows, why is there an abundance of ritual celebrations?
I remember stories or is it just my imagination, of Neolithic people praying to the spirits of the local flora, fauna and lights in the sky, pleading that the sun would return in all its blazing glory. Their prayers and sacrifices, always around a burning fire, were a call for the current period of darkness and infertility to be banished.
However, to see these ancient animists in a negative way is a disservice. Wisdom would have walked among them. Some would always know that the world went through cycles. And those who held such wisdom were able to demand the greatest sacrifices from the people… or am I just too cynical?
I am a syncretist (“cyn”cretist!) at heart. It is easy to hold as one, the plethora of myths and legends that abound at this time. An abundance of rituals and celebrations gravitate to this time of year. Solstice, Yuletide, Christmas etc. The similarities resonate; light, darkness, new birth, potential, death and salvation.
The solstice is an astronomical fact. Our myths and legends interpret that fact; interweaving our beliefs, faiths and hopes. As the earth lies barren beneath the short-lived daylight hours, we consider what lies beneath. The land is full of dormant seeds. Roots stretch and reach and seek nutrients. Other creatures hibernate, waiting.
The moment of least realised is the moment of most potential
There is potential. The sun will again lengthen the daylight hours. Plants will grow. New life will begin. But we can’t see it. We can’t feel it. But we can believe. We can have hope.
Things are dark, they should get lighter.
Things are bad, they should get better.
The wisdom of the solstice is one of hope, hope for the light that is to come.
Hope for the future. That is why we celebrate at a time of scarcity. That is why we survive because we can imagine and realise what could and can be.
Happy Solstice.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.
Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest
The saying, ‘once in a blue moon’ is used to denote something that happens rarely. Around this time, around the globe, it is time for a Blue Moon. This is the second Full Moon of the month. It is also the second Full Moon ritual review for this month. And, for once in a Blue Moon, I am pretty much on track with meeting the goals and objectives for this lunar cycle planning ritual.
While I slept the New Moon traversed the night sky. This means that it is time for my New Moon Intentions ritual. A time when I step back and plan things for the next lunar cycle. The idea, as mentioned before, is to plan and prepare projects to be born when the full moon arrives. The next full moon is one of those special ones. It’s a Blue Moon, the second Full Moon to appear in the same calendar month.
Before the sun rose I was planning away. I want to build on the work I have done in the past couple of weeks. pLAnarchy and this blog are growing and need to be maintained in a way that allows for that growth.
My main focus is now up on my board, above my desk. The plans and intentions are in place. The rest is down to me and any help the universe decides to throw my way.
When was the last time we stopped and gave thanks for the local supermarket? When did we take a moment and think about safety and protection for the transportation of our food?
Traditionally Candlemas is celebrated 40 days after the birth of Jesus. It was when the child was presented at the Temple; the redemption of the first born. In the church year, it marks the end of Epiphany and one of the twelve great feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the Catholic rosary, it is the 4th Joyful mystery and the fruit of the mystery is purity and obedience. This marks the other aspect of the Temple visit, that of the ‘ritual purification’ of Mary after childbirth.