Solstice: The Longest Night

The old woman of winter, the Cailleach has us firmly in the grip of her icy fingers as I write this.  The temperature is supposed to plummet to a bone chilling 17 degrees below zero with the wind chill factor tonight, something we Vancouverites are scarcely prepared for, and, in my heated kitchen I am cooking up a big pot of deliciously warming tortilla soup.  Winter was not always as easy as it is now in the northern hemisphere, with our heat on demand, light at the tips of our fingers, and a stunning array of exotic fruits and vegetables from the far flung reaches of the earth for the asking.  The Winter Solstice: the Sacred Traditions of Christmas, explains that the people of the old world did not even have fresh milk to drink for the entire winter, as sheep and cows only lactate after giving birth (February 2^nd is known as “Imbolc” on the Celtic wheel of the year, and literally means “the time when ewe’s milk comes in”) (Matthews).  The seasonal turning point of Winter Solstice, the rebirth of the sun, was a numinous event so important that it symbolized life or death for our forebears. It provided hope at the darkest time of the year, and assurance that life would continue. Countless standing stones and other Neolithic structures were built to honor and mark the return of the sun, two of the most famous being Stonehenge in England, and Newgrange in Northern Ireland.

I believe that for those of us whose ancestral roots reach back through time and space into pre-Christian Northern Europe, there is a genetic memory that is inherent in our psyches that lets us know on a subtle level when the wheel has turned. We are now in the dark half of the year, and though we have modern conveniences that suggest differently, our bodies and souls tell us what we know to be true - it is nearing midwinter.  How many of us have noticed the urge to turn within, to stay in bed, to hibernate?  Our bodies have a deep wisdom of their own, and we instinctively know that now is the time to rest, reflect, and dream of the time when the sun is reborn.

I invite you to close your eyes for a moment and imagine what it was like at this time of year for countless generations whose blood still flows through us. 
 

It is the longest night of the year, and the long awaited rebirth of the sun is almost upon us. Outside the wind howls fiercely as it cuts through the trees, and snow covers everything in a blanket of white as far as the eye can see.  It is though the Cailleach has always reigned and the golden warmth of the sun just a distant memory, or maybe even a dream.  Caught in this seemingly endless winter, we don’t know for sure if it will ever come again.  So we wait. Our stomachs are growling for fresh meat or a bowl of sweet milk, but all we have had for weeks has been the last of the smoked meat and the bits of dried barley cakes saved for just this time during the last harvest.  The weather has been too inclement even for the hunters to brave the cold and bring us fresh meat, but tonight they are out, they have no choice.  Many of us are silent, deep within our own thoughts, gazing into the flames of the hearth fire and dreaming our private dreams.  In this profound silence, with the fire crackling, and the forces of nature driving against our warm and protected cocoon, it is easy to slip between the worlds and to see into the heart of the mysteries.  The crunching of heavy footfalls in deep snow and the jovial shouts of the hunters stir us from our reverie.  A weak shaft of light illuminates our space, highlighting sacred symbols and spirals etched into the walls, marking the end of the Longest Night.  We will celebrate and feast this day, the God has been reborn and spring is just another turn of the wheel away.

Every Solstice I am reminded of those wise words indelibly etched into my childhood memory from The Grinch who Stole Christmas: “It came. Somehow or other it came just the same!”  For no matter how deep and dark and endless, or bereft of hope winter can sometimes seem, it is always followed by the return of the sun, and eventually a glorious spring.

And so turns the wheel.

Bright Blessings for a Happy Solstice and a Inspiring Yule!

I would like to invite you to come to my talk on "The History of Halloween/Samhain"

The Final Harvest, Samhain

The shadows are growing longer, and darkness falls a little earlier each night. Already passed into memory are the long golden days of summer, and in their place are the deeply evocative earthy smells of ripe apples, the heady scent of turning leaves, and the intoxicating waft of wood fire.

The next seasonal turning point is almost upon us, as Halloween, or the ancient living tradition known as Celtic New Year, Samhain (pronounced saw-win).  Samhain is the third and Final Harvest, and is midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, and is considered a “cross quarter” festival.  It is a sacred time to honor those who have gone on before us, and the veil between the worlds is said to be at its thinnest.  Because of this, it is an auspicious time for such activities as scrying, divination, and anything which requires going within and accessing wisdom from the Otherworld. 

The roots of what many today celebrate as Halloween are firmly embedded and nourished by ancient Celtic soil.  Samhain was the last of the three great Harvest festivals; the first and second being Lughnasadh and the Autumn Equinox.  The ancients observed that by Samhain, most of the once green and fertile fields had been reduced to brown stubble, and the very last of the crops were brought in for drying and preserving in order to see the people through the cold and dark half of the year.  Animals were brought down from the high summer pastures, and some were sacrificed to the tribe for the Harvest feast, while others were smoked and dried for the coming dark months ahead.  Burnished red apples and earthy root vegetables were collected for future suppers on nights when the winter wind would howl fiercely, and the abundant fertile bounty of summer was but a distant dream of a far off land. 

The ancient peoples of northern Europe were much more tuned into the cycles of the year, because their very survival was tied inextricably to the land. To them, it was apparent that Samhain was the end of one cycle, and therefore naturally the beginning of the next.  This time of year was literally their “New Year”.  The Celts did not fear death, seeing it as a fundamental part of the sacred spiral of life/death/rebirth.  Samhain was the time of year when the ancients observed that the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest, and that they were able to communicate with the ancestors easily on this night. The practice of putting out a plate of food as an offering for the honored ancestors on this evening was common.

The Celts did not have a heaven or hell in their belief system; instead the land of the dead was called Tir na n’Og , also known as the Otherworld, or the Summerland. It was an ethereal place thought to be perpetual summer, and it ran alongside the everyday world that humans made their home.  It was here that the dead resided along with various other beings such as the Sidhe, or faery folk.  The belief that the veil between the worlds was thin at this time of the year meant, among other things, that the Sidhe were able to cross over into the human world and if they chose, to make mischief. 

This is likely the origin of the “scary” element of Halloween, and possibly when people began to carve turnips and squash into spooky faces in order to scare away the faery folk and their mischievous prank making.

Samhain and Scorpio – The Astrology of Halloween  

On October 31^st, the Sun is in the depths of Scorpio.  As with all signs, Scorpio is an archetype of the season that it presides over.  It is unfathomably deep, with nothing less that the mystery of life/death/rebirth as its raison d’êtres.  In human terms, Scorpio is complex, transformative, and regenerating, while its shadow side can be deceptive, possessive, and secretive.  The entire spectrum of human sexuality is ruled by Scorpio, from its most debased forms to the most transcendent heights of spiritual ecstasy.  To know God or Goddess through the mystery of sex is Scorpio territory. The ultimate quest of the Scorpio archetype is to penetrate the veil of illusion to get to whatever it perceives to be the truth within the truth with the goal of deep alchemical transformation. This seeking of truth can be done consciously and constructively, or through the sign’s shadow side with manipulation, deceit and power games.
 Samhain, the festival, is deeply resonant with the symbolism of the sign Scorpio, as both are concerned with the deepest mysteries of life and death, and both are about intense transformation at the most fundamental levels. 

A Simple Ritual For Samhain - Winnowing

Ritual is simply a way of focusing our intent. It can be as easy as a private matter of repeating our intention in our own minds as we walk to work or as elaborate as our imaginations and creativity can dream up.  Both are effective, and both can produce results. I have deliberately designed this ritual so that it can be used by anyone, regardless of individual spiritual traditions.  You may add your own flavor to it as you wish.

Because Samhain is about endings and beginnings, it makes sense to include components of both aspects of this festival in your ritual.  And, as Samhain is traditionally a harvest festival and most of us do not literally live on a farm where we can harvest plants – this ritual is for harvesting or winnowing on a spiritual level.  Winnowing is an old word that means to separate the grain from the chaff; or what is important and what we want in our lives versus that which no longer serves us. You can do this alone, or with a group. You can do it indoors, or outside.  You will need a heat proof container such as an abalone shell, one black candle, one green, 2 pieces of paper, pen, and matches.   

As is the time honored tradition, you may set up an altar with pictures or keepsakes of loved ones who have gone on before, to honor them and also to bring their wisdom to your ritual.  These can be of people, but it is perfectly alright to include animal friends who have passed to the Otherworld.  Again, your altar can be as simple or elaborate as you would like.  If you wish to formally cast a circle, you may do this now; otherwise you can open the ritual by ringing a bell, banging a drum, or any other way that feels right for you.

Light candles, the color does not matter, but try and make sure they are of a natural material such as soy or beeswax. 

Take a moment for some deep centering breaths.  If you have a meditation practice for grounding and centering, do this now.  Take some time to review the passing year.

When you feel ready, write on one piece of paper something in your life that you would like to let go of. (No one need see this but you) This can be anything you choose: maybe your fear of expressing your true feelings; an unhealthy habit; your need to over-control.  You can write as many things as you want, or just one.  Light the black candle.

Read what you have written over to yourself. Let it sink in.  Draw on the power of this season that is all about necessary endings, and let it carry away that which you no longer need in your life. Call on those who are on the other side of the veil for their assistance and wisdom in letting go. If you wish, you can say some variation of “I hereby release this (whatever it is) from my life, it has served its purpose, and I am thankful for the lessons it has provided.”

When you feel ready to part with that which has outlived its usefulness to your continued growth, put the paper into the shell and light it on fire. Watch as the fire transforms the unwanted thing to ash, cleansing, changing.  Sit for a moment and breathe in the new reality.  Witness the change.  Put the shell on the altar. 

Remember, Samhain is about endings and beginnings, death and rebirth; it is New Year’s, after all.  Pick up the other paper, and on it write something that you would like to call into being for the coming year -   Prosperity; courage to be yourself; compassion. Visualize yourself living with this new energy.  Light the green candle, the color of new growth.  Again, using your own words say: “I hereby draw this into my life, for the good of all, easily and joyfully”. 

End the ritual either by formally closing the circle, or simply by ringing the bell or banging the drum. 

Afterwards, the ashes from the banished list and the paper containing your wishes for the coming year may be used as mulch in a plant pot, or buried under a tree outdoors.  You can now celebrate with the traditional cakes and wine, or whatever goodies appeal to you!