Solstice Eve
“At
the winter solstice, the wind is cold, trees are bare, and all lies in stillness
beneath blankets of snow.”
Gary
Zukav
Happy
Solstice Eve to you. Here in Alabama, it’s cold, and not snowy, gray, and not
showy, dripping, and not shiny, so I altered a photo to capture what I’m NOT seeing
out my window. This is a slippery time of year for some of us—because in ancient
times, the Winter Solstice was the primary holiday around which all the various
festivals of light were created, and yet, we hardly notice it at all. The birthday
of Jesus, for instance was set on the 25th because, at the time,
that was the date the Winter Solstice was celebrated, which was called “the
Nativity of the Sun.” It was also celebrated as the birthday of the god Mithra,
and the early Christian church of the 3rd century may have chosen it
because they wanted to evangelize the “pagans.” (At least that is what internet
sources say. The truth is, we don’t know.) What we do know is that Christmas
wasn’t celebrated on Dec. 25th until 334 BCE. It’s almost like the
Hallmark folks of the day called a meeting and said: “Hey, it’s dark, it’s
cold, we have to stay inside anyway, so let’s create a big old gift-giving
extravaganza and call it Christmas.”
At any
rate, the Solstice was a big deal for ancient people of all religions and
geographic locations, because it meant that winter would begin to abate, and
spring would follow. The light would return. George Monbiot, British writer, political
and environmental activist, said, “The Christians stole the Winter Solstice
from the pagans, and capitalism stole it from the Christians.” Truth spoken
here. Even in the middle of a pandemic which is heating up again due to Omicron
variant, and despite imported goods being stuck in containers stacked five high
in ports, we’re having a mega-shopping year. Christmas retail sales are way up.
Jesus would be proud, right?
In all
seriousness, spiritually minded people do observe the Winter Solstice as the
turning point between the seasons of darkness and light. If we choose to make
all things sacred, this celebration is as ancient as it gets. For eons humans
have marked the date (now, Dec. 21st) as having the longest hours of
darkness, and given thanks that going forward, each new day will add a few
minutes of light.
How to celebrate? Light some
candles. Then, light some sage (or in pagan traditions, some cedar) to purify
the air and bless your home for the coming year. Take a few minutes to appreciate
the depth of the darkness we’ve experienced this year—in the world, and inside ourselves—and
give thanks for what it has taught us. Then look to the light with joy and
thanksgiving. Sparklers (if they’re not in one of those stalled containers) are
nice for this. Happy Solstice, y’all.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment