By José Blanco
It is the 23rd of December. Two days 'to go'. ...

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html
Two days will, in a few hours, have passed since the winter solstice: "the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight". 

Think of that. The earth's axis is tilted away - the farthest in its northernmost point - from the sun.

From here on, after all this 'darkness' experienced since bright summer days, we know that fuller light will again be here; our days will begin 'seeing more light'.

This link is neat: click here. It refers to the solstice and its traditions and customs. Those include Christmas, and other traditions, too. And - gasp! - some older and earlier than the Christian celebration. For example...

"However, it is believed that this date was chosen to offset pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Natalis Invicti. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the December solstice because from that point onwards, the days began to have more daylight in the northern hemisphere."

And...

Wheel of the Year, & Sabbats
"Christmas is also referred to as Yule, which may have derived from the Norse word jól, referring to the pre-Christian winter solstice festival. Yule is also known as Alban Arthan and was one of the “Lesser Sabbats” of the Wiccan year in a time when ancient believers celebrated the rebirth of the Sun God and days with more light."


Think of that. The earth's axis is tilted away - the farthest in its northernmost point - from the sun, and humanity conceives of these 'ideas' (for lack of a better word) to commemorate, mark, pay respect to, celebrate, a change...one that given the regularity of the stellar world (in a sense) can be relied upon - 'counted' upon - year after year with a sense of full certainty...

Certainty of change...things will not be 'the same'...of that we are certain. (Are we?) Yet within that change, there is a cyclicality: that is, thru changes - we'll get back to the same 'place', stage, season, nights, days...? and we are certain of that! Yet, the place, stage, season nights and days are not the same, really. They sort of came back, but...I am not 'the same'; you are not 'the same'...as we suffer, experience, live thru change. Yet, in a certain sense, we are...the same. The observer within is. Is it not?

As I go thru 'my solstice' the reading from Ana T. Forrest's book - Fierce Medicine - sheds light on this:
"The Winter Solstice is a time to work the stuff of death; it is time to go willfully, deliberately, into your deepest, darkest and most mysterious places. What needs to be cleaned up? Where is a good restful place inside of you? The Winter Solstice is a good time to take those long sleeps, to work on your dreams and find out what they mean for your life...Access, write down and treasure the seeds of your future. Which ones do you want to nurture thru the Dark Time when there's little sunlight? What will you plant for the following year? What do you want to put aside that is not worth planting again? Set your intent about where to put your life force...If you've been struggling with something - abuse, dishonesty, despair - do you want to continue to be a victim or are you done with that?...(If you are)...you are no longer planting that seed. Focus on making this day the turning point in creating the life you most want to live; write it down. ...No matter what your night of hell or year of darkness, you can rejoice in knowing that it's going to get lighter, little by little, It does not matter what you believe; that is just what happens." (!!!)

Happy Holy Days.


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