The shortest and longest days of the Year, occurs this year on December 21 at 15.03.UTC
In the northern world, in the folk customs of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, the Baltic solar Goddess, Saule, Queen of the Heavens and Earth, dressed and crowned with gold, drives her shining chariot across the skies. On the feast of St Lucia, once the Northern Goddess of Light, on December 13, Saule dances with her daughters, the planets. She returns in triumph on the Mid-Winter Solstice.
On the Midwinter Solstice in the Celtic tradition, the Old Crone of Winter or the three Madrones, the midwives, birth the new Sun King or Queen. They invite us to walk into the darkness with them as the Shortest day fades and the Longest Night begins, in trust the light will return.
In the southern world, the Australian Aboriginal creator woman Waramurunggundji of the Gunwinguu people of the Northen Territory, emerged from the sea and gave birth to the first people. In the ever-present Dreamtime, she still carries her digging stick and a bag of food and medicinal plants and flowers. She goes on to dig the water holes. Then leaving her children to enjoy the fruits of her work, she enters a sacred stone so remaining present in her creation;.
The world may seem filled with evil as innocents are massacred like those on Bondi Beach celebrating the return of light on the first day of Hannukah. Wars and bombings rage, increased gun and knife crime, seemingly spirals out of control, prejudice and indifference to the plight of others likewise prevail, Those who have plenty grow ever more opulent while children go hungry and older people cannot afford to turn on their heating. Loneliness increases and the commercial jangling of Christmas may seem hollow to those who are isolated or cannot afford food and presents for their family.
Yet the Solstices revolve undaunted, representing a turning point even in the smallest of ways that rekindle hope with the return or promise of future light.
Each of us can only strive to illuminate and warm our own small piece of earth but each beam can collectively restore what is not forever lost at this dual sunshine festival of Michael, Archangel of the Sun who blesses both Midwinter and Midsummer.
Renew and dust down those dreams and make them come true by faith, hard work and persistence. For we are reminded that as our inner sun is reborn in the northern world, the glimmer of those longer days and shorter nights waits just over the horizon. And as the height of summer blazes in the south, we absorb the power of the light within to illuminate the darker days to come, until the wheel turns upwards once again with radiance renewed.
On Solstice Eve wherever you live, take three white candles, two small and a larger one, set between the other two, in secure heatproof holders you can carry.
Light first the smaller left-hand candle for your own hemisphere’s Midwinter or Summer, whether you are trudging through the freezing rain or turning on the air conditioning along with the Christmas lights. Make a Solstice wish for yourself.
Ignite the second right hand flame for the mirror Solstice being celebrated across the world at the same time as your own and make a wish for others.
Now light the third larger central candle by holding the other two flames simultaneously in its newly kindling flame and bring together within you in the momentarily joined light ,the ascending and descending life of the never ceasing circle of life
Return the outer candles to their places and blow softly into the central candle, saying, We are one world, warmed by the same sun, all children of the great Sun Mother/Father, reborn each year as light, trusting that we can together make all right.
Blow out the two outer candles, sending blessings to wherever they are most needed and let the middle one burn through. Burn the rest of the outer two candles any time you need extra light in your life.
Happy Solstice from Cassandra and Debi and may the sun of love, happiness and health never cease to shine on you.