Winter Solstice (December 21, 2008 by Paula Kiesling)
THE SCIENCE
Earth is actually nearer the sun in Jan. than it is in June. What causes the seasons is something completely different. It is all caused by the earth leaning on its axis like a spinning top in an off-kilter position. This planetary pose is what causes all the variety of our climate.
Solstice means “standing-still-sun”. Winter solstice is when, because of the earth’s tilt, our hemisphere is leaning farthest away from the sun. Daylight is shortest. The sun has its lowest arc in the sky.
THE HISTORY
So, when was the winter solstice first appreciated as a turning point (the day that marks the return of the sun) by humans? Perhaps as far back as the Neolithic peoples who were the first farmers and whose lives were intimately tied to the seasons and the cycle of harvest. Our impulse today to return to honoring the seasons and their turning point days may be echoes of a past that extends many thousands of years further than we ever before imagined.
As far as we know this holiday likely started over four thousand years ago in Egypt with the celebration of the rebirth of Horus –the god who appeared in the sky as a fiery orb. As the Egyptians flourished their Sun-welcoming ceremonies quickly swept through Mesopotamia. The Babylonians came up with Marduk, their creator and sun god. But Marduk had to do some work: had to fight and defeat the monsters of chaos each year. He needed the help of his people to do this so this festival began five days before the Winter Solstice and lasted six days after with the peak of the festival falling on the Solstice. On the 7th day the sun stayed in the sky longer …a sure sign of victory. The Persians caught on and decided to help Marduk as well. Their festival was a bit different. To create chaos slaves and masters changed places and a good time was had by all.
Eventually the Greeks had Zeus defeating Kronos and the Titans and New babies were protected from the imps who roamed the land and stealing spirits of unsuspecting children for the 12 days. And, of course, the ancient Romans decided to participate and that’s when winter festivities really started to take shape. Much focused on Saturn as he was responsible for the changes in nature and its germinating properties. Decorations, gift giving, forgiveness, candles and elaborate feasts, all became part of the show.
As these practices spread there wasn’t a culture that didn’t have its own festival.
Christianity arrived and tried (being former pagans themselves) to incorporate some of the practices and symbols but were quite unsuccessful at first (Romans didn’t take to this as they thought their gods were being mocked). They finally figured out, about the 4th century, that they needed a Mother Goddess to preface the birth of Jesus and Mary, the Mother of god was acknowledged. To make their practice more safe and secure (among the pagans) they decided the birth of Jesus would be Dec. 35, which fell in the middle of the winter holidays. This way the Pagans would think the new celebration was an addition to their own festivals.
In the Northern Hemisphere there would be up to 35 days without any glimpse of the sun. As the sun waned, people saw everything dead and dying. Without sunlight, there would be no plants, no animals and soon, no humans. In the spiritual realm, many thought the darkness brought out evil. Can you imagine experiencing a 35 day eclipse? In Ireland, Newgrange, is a huge circular stone structure similar to Stonehenge. It is a marker for the Winter Solstice. It is build to allow a shaft of sunlight to penetrate its central chamber only at dawn on the Winter Solstice….a giant celestial clock, built over 5000 years ago. Before the pyramids in Egypt.
Winter Solstice was soon therefore overlaid with Christmas and the observance of Christmas spread throughout the globe. Along the way, we lost some of the deep connection of our celebrations to a fundamental seasonal, hemispheric event. Many of us are looking to regain that connection now.
It is also important to recognize that the winter solstice celebrations aren’t just an invention of the ancient Europeans. Native Americans had their winter solstice rites. Rock paintings in coastal California have sun images what have been there for thousands of years.
Iran, Pakistan, Tibet, and China have their winter solstice celebrations. As well as Hanukka, the Jewish Festival of Lights occurs at this time.
AND NOW
Could it be that we are all coming together in recognizing that this time of symbolic celebration of growing light is closely tied to spiritual rebirth?
The Winter Solstice is a time to honor both darkness and light. This does not need to be a time of battle between darkness and light but a natural, peaceful, progression where all life forms move from one aspect to the other and then back again.
This is a time to be open and receptive to the Positive Energy that resides within us and all around us, that keeps us whole and balanced, and surrounds us with love and safekeeping.
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TRIBUTE TO THE WINTER AND NORTHERN DIRECTION
(borrowed from Lakota Native Sources)
[Face North]
Great spirits of the Winter and of the North Direction. Hear us as we come asking for the wisdom and the courage to age gracefully in our lives and in our endeavors. Honor us with your presence as we stand in your Sacred section of our Season and of our Earthwalk. Permit the crystal clarity of winter snow to bring purity to our lives and thoughts, and healing to our bodies and to our world. Spirit of the White Buffalo, help us to turn the lessons we have learned and the knowledge we have gained into wisdom and abundance, spiritually and physically. Allow us to understand the DIGNITY OF BEING. Help us to learn the truth and beauty of NOT DOING. Spirit of the Great White Owl, teach us to fly with quiet grace and seeing eyes through the dark times of our lives. Give us the patience to share ourselves and our knowledge with those who can use them. Give us the faith and the courage to continue our journeys to the end, in dignity, so that our energy may once again arrive in the Dawn of the East. SHOW US HOW TO FIND JOY IN DARKNESS AND IN ENDINGS, AS WELL AS IN LIGHT AND IN BEGINNINGS.
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WINTER SOLSTICE CANDLE CEREMONY
1. Let us welcome the New Light into the shadowy recesses of our own private pain and fears. Let us remember we are all connected with this Light; that the sacred parts of ourselves are blended with the sacred parts of everyone…….that everyone, including ourselves, have inherent worth and dignity.
2. Let us welcome the New Light into the World of hunger, homelessness, poverty, and war ravaged areas. Let this Light empower those who struggle and direct us to tirelessly pursue justice and equity as advocates, as well as practice compassion in all our human relations.
3. Let us welcome the New Light into our minds and hearts as we expand our capacities to not only accept each other but learn from each other and support each other’s spiritual growth. Let this Light remind us that our children are equal to us in their humanity and have wisdom to inspire us.
4. Let us welcome the New Light into incredible searching minds that lead us to life enhancement, to the nature of Truth, to new and ethical solutions to life’s threatening ills. Let this New Light find its way into each person’s search for meaning.
5. Let us welcome the New Light into the Growth of this congregation as it experiences and benefits from diversity and even conflicts which can excite the conscience and lead to consensus. Let us take this Energy and Discovery into the areas where we live and the greater society as we find opportunity.
6. Let us welcome the New Light into the Dark Regions of greed and senseless power where wars are born and which feed on the innocent. Let this New Light bring inspiration, intelligence, understanding, hope, and courage to the leaders of peoples. Thus, let this New Light bring us ever closer to the realization of peace, liberty, and justice for all.
7. Finally, let us welcome this New Light on our daily paths as we exercise a greater love for our earth and life itself.
In the words of Lyall Watson: “Life survives in the chaos of the cosmos by picking order out of the winds. Death is certain, but life becomes possible by following patterns that lead like paths of firmer ground through the swamps of time. Cycles of Light and dark, of heat and cold, of magnetism, radioactivity, and gravity all provide vital guides---and life learns to respond to even their most subtle signs. The emergence of a fruit fly is tuned by a spark lasting one thousandth of a second. The breeding of a bristle worm is coordinated on the ocean floor by a glimmer of light reflected from the moon….Nothing happens in isolation. We breathe and bleed, we laugh and cry, we crash and die in time with cosmic cues.”