Winter Solstice - part 1

We have all noticed the days growing shorter and the nights longer as winter approaches. We complain when we remember how much we did outside last summer when the sun was up until 8:30 or 9:00 pm - and now it is gone at 5! The mornings, too, are dark, and we drive to work with our headlights on.

As we have approached the Winter Solstice, the days have gotten shorter and the nights much longer. If we pay attention to the world around us, we see that the summer flowers are gone, the hillsides are bare, and even here in Southern California, many trees have dropped their leaves. With less daylight hours, animals scurry to get everything done in a shorter amount of time, and the trees and perennial flowers are going into dormancy.

At the Winter Solstice, the sun reaches its southernmost point, rising the latest and setting the earliest of any time of the year. In the ongoing cycles of light and dark, darkness wins out. The sun seems to stand still for several days, rising at the same time and same place; but then, it begins to rise earlier and set later as the cycles continue in their spiral dance.

Our inner journey reflects the cycles of Nature around us. This is the time for shortening our days, scurrying to get things done during the shorter days. Some of us struggle with the weight of the darkness, not sure whether we will see the light again. Others of us enjoy this season the most: cleaning, shopping, cooking, and visiting with loved ones. Most of us seem to swing back and forth between the lightness and the darkness. This is the time to hold in our minds the promise of spring and rebirth. The darkness is strongest just before the dawn. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is nothing new in the history of humanity. Our ancestors struggled with the same issues, even without shopping malls. As the days grew shorter and the nights longer, as the sun seemed to stand still on the horizon, there must have been the fear that perhaps the days would grow shorter and shorter until there was only night. Perhaps the sun would not come back and they would never see the light again. We know that the sun has always returned, and yet, we can imagine what would happen if it didn't. We can imagine what our ancient ancestors must have thought, without electricity to light their evenings. What if it was always this dark and cold? How could they exist like this forever?

Around the world, the darkness and the fear that the winter brought gave birth to festivals and rituals that hailed the gradual lengthening of days after the winter solstice. All of these celebrations involved the lighting of fires to symbolically rekindle the sun, the triumph of the light and life over darkness and death. The entire community would gather, celebrating together, telling stories and feasting.

From what we know, the first Winter Solstice holidays were celebrated in Egypt over 4000 years ago. Mesut-re celebrated the birth of the Sun God Ra, who was later merged with Horus, the child of Isis. The Babylonians took up the celebration, holding the festival of Zagmuk in honor of the creator/sun god Marduk. by the time the holiday spread to Rome, it was a chance to honor Jupiter's defeat of Saturn in the festival of Saturnalia as the new year defeated the old. The Jewish people celebrate Hannakuh, the Festival of Lights, at this time, lighting the 8-tapered menorah in honor of religious freedom and the ability to hold the darkness at bay.

In Northern Europe, Yule was celebrated as the rebirth of the sun. The word "Yule" comes from the Norse word meaning "wheel", the Wheel of the Year. In ancient days, a druid would cut the sacred mistletoe from the mighty oak; evergreen trees were brought into the home to remind everyone of growth and life. Candles were lit to simulate the brightness of mid-day. A Yule Log was burned for 12 days, helping the Mother Goddess give birth to the sun-god, symbolizing the warmth and continuing light of the sun. By the time Christianity developed, winter solstice holidays were well-entrenched in peoples' minds. It made perfect sense to include the celebration of Jesus' birth with the birth of all other sun gods and sons of god. One of the newest Festivals of Light is Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration developed in the 1960s to honor unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

What did your culture or family call this holiday? What do you know about it?

How have you celebrated this season?

c. Bansagart 2003.