Winter Solstice this year took place at 17.46 on Monday 21st December and marked the shortest day and longest night of the year. This time of year is for rest and renewel, reflection, dreaming and contemplation as we weave webs for the coming year ahead symbolised by the growing strength of the light from this time onward. With the going into the dark, there is a re-emergence into light and a celebration of its hope giving joy as we welcome the first promise of sun which will reach its climax at Midsummer Solstice on 21st of June. The Goddess is returning from the Croning of Samhain into the light and is reborn! Now is a time for hope and new beginnings; for letting go of what you no longer need and for making new wishes, new intentions and resolutions...re-solutions...maybe new solutions to old issues and a new resolve to move forward into your own power.
The spark of hopeful light is ever present at this time in the myriad of stars in the night's canopy; the crescent moon soon to reach a lunar eclipse on Thurs 31st with full moon in Cancer; candles flickering in windows and on altars; winter fires to protect against the cold; and in the magical displays of electric lights decorating harbours, towns and villages throughout the world. I am still awed by the lights here where I live in Mousehole as they welcome all with their wonderful evocation of childhood, the ocean, carols and Christmas. I feel blessed to be able to walk out of my door and wander the streets dancing with coloured lanterns hung from gables and telegraph posts; to enjoy the rainbow spectrums flickering in the ocean meeting the embrace of nature's own display above. On December 23, Mousehole celebrated Tom Bawcock's Eve with a parade of children carrying white home-made lanterns and the famous Starry Gazey Pie...I only smelt this as I was greeted by the happy band of children and parents at my front door and joined the procession through the narrow streets of the village to the beach where the tide was going out and the children let little paper lantern crowns float out to sea.There was a band of drummers and pipers on the beach, as well as a group from the famous male voice choir singing carols (the Cornish versions of course) which took me right back to childhood and the voices of Christmas in my local Methodist chapel....that sound reminds me of a deep yearning call from the depths, the bass calling us into the ocean under the sea or into the mines' deep shafts echoing underground and I am reminded once more of my ancestry of Cornish miners and fishermen, the importance of these carols and songs, of music making and unity in the face of poverty and hardship. This time of year is so much about a spirit of love,peace and friendship. It is a time for healing rifts and celebrating community. Like the tribes of old we gather around the fireside, the hearth of home and tell stories, share news, sing songs and enjoy food. The lights, community, starry gazey pie and carolling by the ocean at my door all reminded me of these simple rituals which are too often lost today.It is also so much a time for celebrating the wonder of childhood. Children ran down the street to see the lights and the imagination of adults and children is sparked into new life by the magical harbour displays.The new light is that light of hope, wonder, warmth and it is a guide for us to hold by before the first real buds of snowdrops appear through the hard earth at Imbolc.
Evergreens like Holly, Ivy and Yew are also symbols for us of that hope held in nature for constant renewel and rejuvenation. They offer protection. Evergreens are dressed with lights to attract back the sun and open the door to rebirth and new life. Hence the symbology of the continuing cycle of rebirth and change in nature.In the Irish Gaelic Ogham Holly is translated as tinne or 'fire'. In ancient times charcoal used from Holly wood was used to forge swords and axe heads. Again the Holly with its red berries is connected to fire and magical protection so it explains the wreaths on the door.Robert Graves in 'The White Goddess' mentions a tradition of a Holly and Oak king fighting over a maiden or goddess saying that this was the time when the Oak king overcame the Holly King...this is refuted by goddess centred critics for its Eurocentric approach and male centred gaze. It is felt to lack academic stringency and to be misleading.There is no factual substantiation for Graves' view and yet books on Trees and folklore associated with it mention it. The idea of Oak and Holly kings is also used in mixed sex pagan rituals. It is obviously up to the individual what they wish to believe but it is interesting to have already come across this debate in my own writing of the blog where I stand corrected for at first reading about a pagan traditions in books on Tree Lore and not realising their neo pagan origins.
Mistletoe is also a sacred palnt of the Druids and its wood is a protective talisman for love and healing.
The sun is now in the sign of Capricorn. Capricorn is Cardinal Earth and the sign is asking us to dig deep into the collective consciousness to find a worthy dream and then do the work necessary to take it to the mountain tops. It's time to refocus on the connections that ground us and root us to our past and to re focus our resolution to climb up toward the light. Make sure you have a worthy mountain to climb and that as well as having the kindness, integrity,organisation, wisdom and leadership to make the climb, you also give yourself permission to stop and savour the view every once in a while.
Full moon in the opposite sign of Cancer recinects us to our inner depths,the oceans of emotion and can make us homesick for our idealised home. We can either get sick and defensive or find home within ourselves, get cosy, nurture ourselves and reconnect with our true feelings. A cancer moon is a deep watery moon, it is a healing time, a time to bathe, self nurture and heal...take a bath, connect with the ocean, feel the tides ebbing and flowing in your womb.
Enjoy your own Solstice season and welcome the Lunar Eclipse on Dec 31st!
Blessed Bexxxx
