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The Wheel Turns To The Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice of 21st December -in the Northern Hemisphere- is the wonderful point on the Wheel of the Year when The Sun returns to the world. From the darkest day of the Winter comes the rebirth of the light.
Ancient cultures have always marked the Winter Solstice with rituals and celebrations. On this shortest day of the year our ancestors would gather to light fires and perform rituals to honour The Sun and welcome it's return to us. Many of us continue to do whether at the spiritual sites of the Earth or our own homes
The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on Dec. 25, Christmas Day all around the world. One theory is that this date was chosen after early Christian scholars debated when it should best be marked to gain widespread attention
Some theories suggest that Christians co-opted existing, already powerful times to mark for their own religious needs. The Romans were already celebrating the festival of Saturnalia at the time of the Winter Solstice and in Northern Europe, Pagans marked the Winter Solstice itself. Yule the ancient name for Christmas, comes from the Scandinavian word Jol that was used for this time
Christmas And Winter Solstice
Today's 'Santa Claus' is a folk figure with multicultural roots. He embodies the characteristics of Saturn- as I mentioned earlier in connection with the Roman celebration of Saturnalia- and has elements of Cronos - the Greek god, also known as Father Time. We also see echoes of
- The Holly King, the Celtic god of the dying year
- Grandfather Frost, a Russian winter folk figure
- Thor, the Norse sky god who rides the sky in a chariot drawn by goats
- Odin/Wotan, the Scandinavian 'All-Father' who rides the sky on Sleipnir, his eight-legged horse
- The Tomte, Norse land spirits known for giving gifts to children at this time of year
- 'Santa's reindeer' can also be viewed as forms of Cernnunos, the Celtic Horned God
Evergreen plants are brought into the home in the form of trees, holly and mistletoe,- even if in our time they're artificial. They remind us that life grows and continues. In the festive colours of red, green and gold that are all around us, we can see the elements of earth and fire and of The Sun itself. Even the store-bought chocolate Yule Log is the modern- and edible- version of the ancient dressed Oak or Birch log. These logs would be carried or dragged in with celebration and then placed on the great fires of our forebears. As the old year burned away -symbolised by the Yule Log- a piece of it was kept and placed on the fire of the following year. At Christmas, we give gifts to one another and hold great feasts while a Father Figure continues to bestow bounty on us from above as he rides high up in the sky. Our ancient Winter Solstice traditions live on...
A simple Winter Solstice ritual
This involves your wishes, your desires or your goals for the year ahead. Take some time and carefully consider all your reasons for them. Once you've finally decided on them, write them one by one on very small pieces of paper - any colour will be fine, but yellow or white is good. The ritual will require: Spring bulbs- preferably snowdrop or crocus bulbs--and earth in which to plant them. This can be in a garden or a pot.
As you plant your bulbs in the earth, add the very small pieces of paper into the soil, one piece at a time, visualising your desires. As you do, imagine feeling the sun's warmth on your flowers when they emerge through the earth and into the light, along with the joy you feel as the wishes manifest with them in the Spring. I wish you love, as we celebrate the return of the light to our world. Happy Winter Solstice