Anciently, before Facebook, Netflix, TV, radio, automobiles, airplanes, electricity, and a host of other creations and discoveries, the greatest show on earth was the night sky. What was it that we were seeing? There seemed to be patterns, meaningful correlations between what was happening up there and what was happening down here. Some of what we were observing was static, it stayed in a fixed position, while other bodies seemed to travel through the sky; wanderers.
Over time, it became evident to our ancestors that in some magical way we are connected to all that is. Consequently, rituals arose to honor that belief. The skies have influenced every part of our lives. They have helped us to navigate and most importantly have defined the very idea of time itself. It was almost as if the skies were some kind of stone tablet unto which the gods had inscribed their messages. There was truly a sense of awe and wonder over all there was to behold.
The king of all this wonder is our Sun. Used for marking time and celebrated for its life-giving powers. Its predictable movement provided a steadiness to what otherwise seemed chaotic. After all, it is the cycles of the Sun that determine the seasons. Our ancestors noticed the extremes of the Suns orbit north or south of its east or west rising and setting positions. The Sun rises due east and sets due west at the equinoxes, while at the solstices it reaches an extreme of 23.5 degrees north (summer solstice) or 23.5 degrees south (winter solstice) of due east or west.
This Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 11:19 pm, those of us living in the northern hemisphere will experience winter solstice. How long has this event been going on? No one really knows for sure but suffice it to say a really long time. Many ancient peoples celebrated this including the Celts, Anasazi, Scandinavians, and Etruscans. They planned celebrations and festivals around this annual phenomenon. In celebrating the longest hours of darkness (which also marked the rebirth of the Sun) there was a hope and belief in a regenerative energy that would bring renewal to them and the earth.
As we approach this moment once again, it is important that those of us living in the northern hemisphere recognize the pattern and message embedded in this seasonal occurrence. Winter solstice is akin to a new moon, where darkness prevails for a moment in time. And like the new moon, it represents a forward-looking time. It is a time of deep reflection, contemplation, and planning; a new beginning. In astrology, the Sun symbolizes you, your life force, your vitality, consciousness, purpose, and who you are becoming. This is the time of year during which we should go inside and use the darkness to our benefit, seeking a greater connection with our highest and best self.
Like the Sun which appears to stand still for three days before resuming its ascent back to 23.5 degrees north, we too, should pause, gather strength, and rise up ever determined. Our intent should be to fully realize our purpose and to allow the old and unproductive patterns of the past die, allowing a new pattern to emerge. What seeds will you plant this winter solstice in preparation for your new beginning?
Written by Urban Shaman
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