WINTER SOLSTICE

On December 21st an ancient celebration arrives once again. It is the longest night of the year. Through the years many have sat by the fire and shared food together from their harvest giving thanks for all they received from the earth.

The darkness will slowly start to turn into light.  Solstice and New Year are a time to say goodbye to the past year and get ready to embrace the new year on the horizon...

There is no evil in this celebration only love and appreciation for the blessings and magic of this world we call home..

1. What is this night?
   It is the eve of the Winter Solstice-the first night of Yule.
2. What is the shape of this night?
   It is the longest night of the year.
3. Where is the sun on this night?
    The sun is at the lowest and most southern point in the sky.
4. What is the element that rules this night?
   Tonight the darkness reaches the limit of its power over light.
5. After this night of power, what is the element that will wane?
   From this night forward, the darkness will wane and the light will grow.
6. What is the meaning of this night?
   This night and the twelve nights which follow fall in the space between one year and another, the border where the worlds overlap. All that happens is mightier than at any other time of the year.
7. What do we do over these thirteen nights of Yule?
   The world holds its breath waiting for the infant sun to be born.
8. How do we bring back the light?
   The fires and lights of Yule call the sun back from its southern journey.
9. When will we see this light?
   Thirteen nights from now at the New Year we will see the waning of the dark.
10. How have we prepared for the new light?
    We have spent the dark months looking inward and being quiet. We have felt the Great Goddess, in her Crone aspect.
11. What shall we do now?
    We shall let go of those things which do not affirm life and love and send them with the old sun to the womb of the Earth to be born again as positive energies for us in the New Year.
12. On what does our faith rest in this cold winter season when the earth's bounty seems frozen?
    We survive, we endure, and we prosper because we depend on each other. We to share in the careful stores from all our harvests, which gives us physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance. We keep the fires burning and to affirm our support and love for one another.
13. Do we depend only on each other?
    No, we are interdependent with all of creation. We admire the animals and plants who thrive in winter. We honor them and give them rest. We remember to feed the wild creatures of the forest.

Solstice Song

(Sung to Silent Night)

Holy night, longest night
We have gathered to the light.
We have called for the Goddess near
To bless this circle we hold so dear.
We're children of the Earth
The Season for rebirth

Holy night, longest night
We have watched the Sun's waning light.
These inward days soon will pass
And bring the bright New Year at last
We're children of the Earth
The Season for rebirth

Holy night, longest night
We will keep the fires bright
And Mother Goddess will bear the new Sun (son)
The fruit from the seeds we have sown will come
We're children of the Earth
The Season for rebirth

May You Be In Light!

Deva

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