The Winter Solstice Time

Many people do not understand or know of the different cultural belief systems and at this time I think its always good to reflect on other beliefs, and also the passing year and what the future holds. As a Shaman, I do not hold one belief system. I believe that all beliefs and religions have their place and as individuals as long as what we believe in is is good and what we do in life is for the Greater Good, then we can't really go wrong. Taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions is the most important lesson we are here to learn, intertwined with other life experiences along the way. Whether your past year has been joyful or filled with issues that may have been of a negative nature, if you reflect back on them and question "what did I learn from that?", or "what have I achieved from being that way?" it can give us an insight into the experiences we are here to learn. Then using the power of your own mind and thinking in the positive look forward to 2005 and have a great Holiday Season.

Christmas ~ Yule ~ Winter Solstice ~ Saturnalia
(please note that most of the information below has been researched and many not be exactly true, so please dont send me emails. If you want to know more there are hundreds of websites on the net where you can gether your own information and form your own opinion)

We are all fully aware that at this time of the year there is very little sun and in Midsummer (21st of June), there is plenty of it. This is because at this time of the year the Earth is tilted at an angle towards the North Star. It was not only a time of rest and relection, but also fear that the sun may never return so celebrations and rituals were held to (in affect), attract the Sun God back to reign in the skies again. But, where does it all come from, is there a REAL meaning to the time of the year or are we just celebrating a rather large mix-up of lots of different religious views now? Yes, we are and below are some of the closest ones I could find including some other beliefs and where different "things" originated from.

General - In astrology the Stars change from Saggitarius to Capricorn on this day. The Arch-Angle St Michael has been taking care of us since the Autumn Equinox on 21st September up to the 21st of December.

Neolithic Times - New Grange in Ireland is orientated towards the Winter Solstice sun rise and Maes Howes in the Orkneys is orientated to the sun set.

Ancient Egypt - About 3,000 BC Egyptians started worshipping the God Osiris, who was a sun god. He was portrayed as a Trinity, (Heavenly God, Earthly God and a Falcon). According to legend he fathered a child, Horus, through Isis a Virgin. Horus' birth was announced by three Wise men symbolised by the three stars on the constellation of Orions Belt. He continued to stay with his mother until 12 years old, and was never heard of again, until he was 30 and was baptised into the God-Head. The belief in Osiris, Isis and Horus later spread to the Roman Empire until believers then started to be persecuted by Christianity. It is believed by many that this is the true identity of Christ as he not only died, but was resurected. Osiris is the original story of the dieing and the resurecting god. It spread to Greece in the story of Dionysus, to ancient Rome in the story of Mithras and then to Christianity in the story of Jesus. Along the way it also appeared in other cultures under various names.

Ancient Greece - The Winter Solstice ritual was called "Leaneae", the Festival of the Wild Women. The ritual involved someone dressing as Dionysus, being torn apart and eaten by women and then being resurrected again later in the ritual - bit of a grim thought really.

Ancient Rome - Saturnalia was the Ancient Roman celebration of their God Saturn (god of agriculture). The Catholic Encylopeadia states that Christmas was not amongst the earliest festivals celebrated. The festival of Saturnalia lasted from December 17th to the 24th and concluded in a great feast called Brumalia on December 25th. However, in 380 C.E. the Roman Emporer Theodosius ordered all Pagan temples to be destroyed and all Pagans to accept Christianity. In 354 C.E. Bishop Liberius of Rome decreed that the birth of Jesus be celebrated on the same day as the pagan's god, to flush out the last of the Pagans who still continued to celebrate Saturnalia. Before this date the Christians never celebrated anything or anyone named Jesus as no-one can quite say where he came from or whom he was. He was plucked from the air 354 years after his alleged birth to replace the Pagan festival and how interesting that the Christian story of his birth has been taken from ancient texts about Osiris and Mithras - makes you think doesn't it? Holly was a sacred plant used in the Saturnalia celebrations and was hung outside their homes to protect them from psychic attack, lightening, and any form of evil.

Ancient Persia - about 2000 bc the persians worshipped the god Mithra. He was introduced to the Romans and became the god Mithras. He was supposed to have come from a virgin mother, ( first born child), his birth was said to have occured in a form of stable or outdoor building, and shepherds witnessed the birth and bought him gifts. Later his followers celebrated the event at midnight on Winter Solstice eve, very much as Catholic churches perform a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. In fact the Vatican stands on the spot of the ancient temple to Mithras. Mithras was believed to have performed miracles, healing the sick, making the blind see again. According to legend he also celebrated the Last Supper with 12 disciples before he ascended to the heavens. Mithas stood as a powerful rival to the newly formed Christianity therefore in 274 C.E. the Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the birth feast of Mithras, (December 25th), to be a festive holiday. In 307 C.E Mithras was was officially designated as "Protector of the Roman Empire". However, by 358 C.E the followers of Mithras started to be persecuted by the Christians.

Yule - The name originated with the Norse, who celebrated Yule, (from their word hwoel/'Iul' meaning Wheel), the night before the solstice day. The traditional Yule festival is 13 nights long and marks the space between one year and the next, the border where the worlds overlap. In England it became the 12 nights of Christmas, remember "The 12 days of Christmas" song? Same thing! The Yule log was cut from an Oak tree and was believed to protect the house from lightening strikes once it had been charred by the household fire. Mistletoe was seen to be sacred to the Norse deity Balder. Odin, was the Norse Father-God and Holly King who rode throught the night skies on a white charger (not a reindeer). It is a fire festival and bringing back of Light.

Sweden - they honour St Lucia or St Lucy each year of 13 December. It has spread to Denmark and Holland. It is another Light festival, and a breakfast is eaten by candlelight. Lucia lived in the Syracuse during the fourth century when persecution was rife by the Christians. The actual story, like many, has been lost over time, but apparantly her eyes were plucked out, or she removed them in protest to the persecution of her christian beliefs and the way christians were treated! She is the patron saint of the blind.

A Bit More Modern
From 1652 - 1659 Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans and English Parliament outlawed Christmas because it was not sanctioned in the bible. All churches were ordered to close and shops were ordered to be open. Any clergymen found to be preaching on that day were subjected to imprisonment, and anyone found decorating the church were fined. Currently the worldwide church of God and the Jehovas witnesses do not celebrate Christmas on 25th of December.
Father Christmas or Santa Claus - his origins are again a mix up of different beliefs. It seems quite a common thought that he originated from not only the Norse God above, but also St Nicholas who has his feast day on December 6th and in central europe they celebrate it by hanging up stockings for St Nick to deliver gifts for them. It is believed that this came from the legend that St Nicholas tossed coins down the chimney of a home of 3 poor sisters. Their stockings were hanging up to dry on the hearth, the coins fell into the stockings which therefore led to the belief that hanging your stockings by the hearth could bring prosperity, or presents into the home. In England and America we see Father Christmas as a red clad, slightly overweight chap who delivers presents to children. The red and white uniform he wears is an early 1900's campaign by Coca-Cola™ at Christmas, and has been adopted almost worldwide now.
Boxing Day/St Stephen's - has it's roots in the Christian church and takes it origins from boxes that were left in the church all year round for donations to the poor. The boxes were then opened and distributed to the needy and poor by the church at Christmas. From there you can also use the word Christmas Box as trademen hoped they would be given something as an appreciation of their work. This continues today as Christmas Bonus given by companies to their staff as a thank you for the last years work - or not !!!
Christmas Tree - the tree has always been seen as a symbol of Everlasing Life. In the 8th Century, so the Christian legend says, St Boniface came across Pagans worshipping an Oak tree and about to sacrifice a child. He lept to the child's aid and rescued him, and chopped down the Oak tree (phew, what a guy!), and it then goes onto say in this Christian legend that where the tree had been standing was a new sprice tree shoot. As a symbol of new life it was then associated with Christmas and the Christians defeit of those pagan rituals (you know, the ones that are yet to be proved!!). The first decorated trees were in Strasbourg in about the 17th century; they then began appearing in other towns and cities. The Norwegian Spruce was given as a gift to Queen Victoria and it was introduced into Trafalgar Square every year and decorated, which has led to most towns and cities having an annual tree/christmas lights switch on usually by some z-list celebrity who didn't make this years "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here" - grief, am I getting more and more cynical as I write this? oops!....sorry ;0)

Mistletoe -,was sacred to the Celts and the Druids, it was obtained as a good luck symbol for the coming year. All their hand-fasting (marriage) ceremonies where held under the mistletoe. Therefore this year, be careful who you are kissing under the Misletoe, they may just hold you to that promise !

English Responisibilities - well, we have to take the blame for something. Plum Pudding was a dish dating back to the middle ages made from Suet, flour, sugar, raisins, nuts and spices all tied together in a cloth and boiled until they were "plum" meaning had swelled up enough to fill the cloth. It was then unwrapped, sliced up and served with cream. Carolling began here too where musicians would travel to towns and cities and visit the homes of the rich and sing for them in return for payment. This could also be seen to go back to druid times when a bard would visit the home of the Kings and tell stories in return for a place to rest and some food - no-one turned away a druid Bard ! There are plenty more other related stuff I have not added in here, but I think that's enough for now.

Putting Religion and Beliefs Aside - It is at this time of the year that we gather friends and family together, exchange gifts and enjoy a meal. The Winter Solstice gives us the ideal time to celebrate life itself and the return of Light ! Many freethinkers organise Winter Solstice parties. Let's be honest if we joined in and celebrated all the December dates listed above would anyone be sober by January 1st? - what a fantastic idea..................... "WAHEY"

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