The Winter Solstice . . . A Time to Dream
The Winter Solstice is a magical season . . . one that marks the
journey from this year to the next, journeys of the spirit from one world to the next, and
the magic of birth, death, and rebirth. The day following the longest night of the year (December 21 in the
Northern hemisphere) is the start of the solar year and is accompanied by
festivals of light to mark the rebirth of the Sun.
Throughout the world gods and goddesses of light were being born
during the Winter Solstice. The Egyptian goddess Isis delivered Horus whose symbol was the
winged Sun. Mithras, the Unconquered Sun of Persia, was born during the solstice, as was
Ameratsu, the Japanese Goddess of the Sun. Sarasvati, Queen of
Heaven in India, is honored during Yule-tide.
Just as Mary (once regarded as a
goddess in her own right) bore the infant Jesus, Rhea gave birth to Saturn (the Father of Time),
and Hera conceived Hephaestus. Qetzalcoatl
and Lucina ("Little Light"), also
celebrate birthdays at this time. Saint Lucia, called the Goddess of Light, is honored from Italy
to Sweden, crowned with candles to carry us through the darkness.
Frigga, Fate, and the Yuletide Season
In ancient Europe, the Winter Solstice grew from the myths of the Norse goddess Frigga who sat at her
spinning wheel weaving the fates, and the celebration was called Yule, from the Norse word
Jul, meaning wheel. The Christmas wreath is a symbol of her "Wheel of
Fate", reminding us of the cycle of the seasons and the
never-ending continuity of life.
The longest night of the year is called
"Mother Night" for it was in darkness the goddess Frigga
(also called the All-Mother) labored to
bring the Light into the world once more. The Young Sun, Baldur, who controlled the sun and rain
and brings fruitfulness to the fields, was born that night. Frigga's blessing is invoked for all
birthing women, and a white candle that last burned on the winter
solstice is kept as a charm to provide a safe experience during the
woman's next delivery.
Read
more about the
goddess Frigga,
Baldur, and how their relationship created the legend of mistletoe.
That the timing of the Christian celebration of the birth of
Christ occurs in the Yule season is no coincidence. Christmas was once a movable feast,
celebrated many different times during the year.
The decision to establish December 25 as
the "official" date of Christ's birth was made by Pope Julius I in the fourth
century AD, hoping to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one, since this
date coincided with the pagan celebrations of Winter Solstice with the Return of the Sun
Gods occurring throughout the world.
Numerous Christmas traditions derive from the earlier pagan
celebrations. Yule, celebrating the birth or rebirth of a god of light, made use of fire,
both in candles and the burning of a Yule log.
The Christmas tree has its origins in the
practice of bringing a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to
keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung in the limbs so you could
tell when an appreciative spirit was present. Food and treats were hung on the branches
for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five
elements, was placed atop the tree.
The Solstice is also a time of plenty. The Hopi Kachinas return to
the Earth during the solstice, and the Deer Mothers dance for the fertility of the
earth. The hearth fires of Hestia (known as the Roman goddess Vesta) are
quenched and then rekindled. The "first fruits" festival, Kwanzaa, is held to
honor the seven major deities of Yoruba.
And Winter Solstice is a time for visions. Rhiannon, a Welsh
incarnation of Epona, the Celtic Mare Goddess, rides through the dreams of her people by
night, transporting them to the place between the worlds where they can create their own
visions, giving them a gift of what they need most, helping them to make real their
dreams. In Scotland, the last night of the year is Wish Night, a holiday when wishes made
for the coming year are at their most powerful.