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Winter Solstice
(I love that picture!) Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction December 22nd is the winter solstice. (Actually December 22-24). Unlike the equinoxes (equal length of day and night), which last only a single day, the solstices last for 3 days! The winter solstice lasts from December 22nd until December 24th; three days of the shortest daylight, longest night. Then on December 25th, the Earth begins to wobble back the other direction, making it appear that the sun gets higher and higher in the sky. That's why the ancients of the Northern Hemisphere considered December 25th as the birthday of the sun! The sun "died" on December 22nd and "raised" from the dead or was reborn every year on December 25th! (That is why the Christians chose to celebrate the birth of their god on that day! No one really knows for sure when Jesus was born). Hence the traditions that we so often associate with Christmas are actually winter solstice traditions. Take the example of the Christmas tree. Where did that come from? Well, after many years of searching, I came upon the origin of the Christmas tree completely by accident, and in the most unlikely place: MONGOLIA!
Far Eastern Traditions
Mongolian Winter Solstice Traditions
The
Mongolian Winter Solstice Traditions According to an article by Jade Wah’oo Grigori,
entitled: “A Time of the
Shaman’s Gift Bringing;” the traditional Mongolian winter solstice is
a very, very, meaningful and important time for all Mongolians who still follow
the old ways. Now, when I use the word “Mongolian” I shall be
referring to all the Mongol tribes collectively, including the Khalkhs and
Buryats, and whichever others there are out there.
According to Ms Grigori, the Mongolian village shaman was and still is
very central and important to the winter solstice ritual.
Villagers gather at the shaman’s ger, a circular tent or yurt.
There is a central pole which represents the ‘mother tree’, “ej
mod.” It is called other things
too, like the “Tree of Life” and the “Pole of Ascension.”
There are 81 ribs, representing the 9-times-9 pillars which hold the
heavens apart from the earth. The
‘mother tree’ points to the North Star, figuratively of course.
So, at the top of the ‘Tree of Life’ sits the ‘Star’.
(Where have I seen that before?) While
each human’s spirit has a home on a different star, the North Star is special.
It is metaphorically called the “Heart of the eagle” or the
“Compassionate heart of purification”.
[Parenthetically, I know that nowadays, in Mongolia, the gers are built with TWO poles (as pictured above); however, that's really irrelevant.] The villagers gather in the shaman’s tent, having
brought gifts of local wares and placing them under the “tree”.
In return for the gifts, the shaman undertakes a spiritual journey to the
North Star with the help of some mushrooms on behalf of his
benefactors-become-beneficiaries. The
villagers are laden with spiritual burdens, which span the gamut from grudges to
guilt. They want their “sins” to
be cleansed from their souls. The
shaman acts as an intermediary between them and the Great Spirit of the
steadfast, unmoving, unchanging, eternal North Star.
He takes the spirits of the unclean to the Heart of Purification where
they are cleansed of all unrighteousness, then returned to Earth.
Then, the Tree of Life, or Mother Tree, shimmers with the light of each
purified soul, reawakened to or renewed by the light of the North Star. Truly fascinating stuff; is it not? Chinese,
Japanese, Korean
NOTE: The Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans all celebrated the winter solstice anciently, but it has been almost completely forgotten by modern day people.
Tibetan LoSar LoSar means New Year. According to the article I read on Wikipedia, it used to be on the Winter Solstice (but now it coincides with the Chinese Lunar New Year). It was celebrated for 15 days, but the first three days were the most important. One of the rituals associated with winter solstice (or LoSar) was going to a local spring and giving offerings and prayers of gratitude to the nagas (nature water spirits) for the water. People in Tibet prepare for LoSar days in advance by cleaning the whole house and decorating with flowers and/or juniper branches. Debts must be settled and quarrels resolved before the New Year. New clothes are acquired as well. All this is done in order to enter into the new year with everything "new," and clean, and fresh. It's like getting a fresh start. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Losar
Middle Eastern Traditions
Pakistani / Iranian Winter Solstice
There is a book by Patricia Montley entitled, “In Nature’s Honor: Myths and Rituals Celebrating the Earth”. In it we learn that the Kalash people of Pakistan had a winter solstice festival called, “Chaomas”. It was observed by lighting bonfires and conducting purification rituals. In the same book we learn that the ancient Zoroastrians of modern day Iran celebrated Shabe-Yalda, or the sun’s birthday, by lighting huge bonfires to insure that the sun stay lit.
European Traditions
Scandinavian Winter Solstice The Yule Log
Let’s start with my personal favorite, the Yuletide, of the Scandinavian Tribes. “Yule” seems to mean feasting, while “tide” means season. The feasting began on the day of the death of the sun, December 22, accompanied by special prayers and rituals to “bring the sun back to life”. On December 24, the eve of the rebirth of the sun, a “Yule log” is put on the fire is and supposed to be kept burning all night long, to ensure that the sun is re-lit and thus, reborn. Mistletoe
The myth goes like this: Balder’s mother, Frigga (which means "Love") had asked all the plants and animals of earth never to harm her son, Balder (who represents the sun in winter). However, there was one plant that she overlooked; it was mistletoe, because it was so soft. Frigga thought that mistletoe could never hurt her son. Loki
became jealous of Balder’s popularity and he was annoyed by the noise devoted
to Balder’s praise. So, he
clandestinely disguised himself as an old hag and visited Balder’s mother.
Through their conversations, he found out that there was one and only one
living thing on Earth that she had not made contract with not to harm her son.
Loki then made an arrow out of mistletoe; then, he (as a hag) gave the
arrow to Hod (a blind god) to throw at Balder. You see, the gods had
gathered to throw/shoot objects at Balder as a show that nothing could hurt him.
Three days later, after much mourning, Balder’s mother, Frigga sent her son, Hermod to to into Hel and rescue Balder. After he did so, Frigga resurrected Balder. Then, she made mistletoe promise to never harm another living thing. This is why mistletoe is used as decoration at winter solstice time. It is the symbol of peace and love and tranquility. Learn more about Scandinavian Lore on Leon's Planet Greek & Roman Winter Solstice
American
Aboriginal [Note: I don't like to call them Indians (as they have nothing to do with India) and I don't like to call them Native Americans (as I am a native American, but my ancestors came from Poland); So, I call them American Aborigines (the original Americans)]. Mowhawk
Aborigines Mohawk religious year begins after the
first new moon following the winter solstice and “five nights of
sleeping.” A ceremony of song, dance, food and prayer to the Creator is
performed for the renewal of “medicine societies.” Source:
http://www.thecommunicator.org/052006/chiefporter.htm Incan
Aborigines “Inti Raymi: Incan Sun
Festival” (by Nicholas Gill) Cusco's
largest celebration of the year, held every June 24, re-enacts the ancient Inca
ceremony welcoming the winter solstice in Peru. Inti
Raymi is the Festival of the Sun, or Fiesta
del Sol that continues an Inca tradition that dates back centuries. The
Incas would hold an annual ceremony to celebrate the winter solstice. The name Inti
Raymi is Quechua for new sun. In fact the festival is held entirely in
Quechua, the language of the Incas, which is still spoken by millions of people
throughout the Andes. Although
it is not what you would have found centuries ago here, it is a lively ceremony
and you can at the very least get an idea of how things once were with this
majestic Andean culture. There is music, drums, speeches, dances, and other
rituals that are re-enacted by the ancestors of the Inca. Held
every June 24 amidst the colossal stone fort of Saqsayhuaman
perched above the city, the event packs the crowds. Tickets are quite expensive
for the better seats, although you can sit on the ground with the locals for
near peanuts. Hopi
and Navajo Aborigines The
winter solstice marks a special storytelling time for native American
communities. During that special literary season, they say, the sun is in the
south corner of time. Source:
http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/southcorner/introduction.html
Iroquois
Aborigines While
Celtic peoples celebrated this special time [winter solstice] with feasts, some
Native American tribes saw this unique celestial event in a different light.
Among the Iroquois, it was a time of dreaming. Rather
than staying up all night to celebrate the dawn, the People of the Longhouse
turned in early, to sleep, to dream. As
Mother Night reigned supreme, in dreaming they walked between the worlds of
light and darkness, gathering great meaning from what The Great Mystery
illuminated for them. At
first light, the entire tribe would gather and each tribal member -- men, women,
to the smallest child -- would stand and relate what visions they saw on this
special night. The
dreams would be discussed at length by the entire tribe for each vision's
meaning -- for the individual, about the world, for the tribe. Source:
http://healing.about.com/cs/uc_directory/a/wsolstice_ewing.htm
African Traditions Egyptian Winter Solstice
In ancient Egypt, there was the Feast of Aset (Isis), celebrated around the winter solstice. Asar (Osiris) was killed by his jealous brother Set and resurrected by his wife Aset (Isis). Osiris and Isis gave birth to Horus (the younger), who is the personification of the SUN!!!! A little more background... Nut
[f] {a sky goddess} (personification of all things intangible) -
[Compare Yin] Nut and Geb had five children...
The Feast of Aset seems to celebrate the
fact that she resurrected her husband
Conclusion In conclusion, of all the winter solstice traditions that I have researched, the Mongolian one is by far the most fascinating to me. I am so glad that I went to Mongolia; because had I not done so, I would not have come across that fascinating winter solstice tradition. May we all join in the spirit of the Mongolian winter solstice tradition this year by purifying our hearts, by eliminating our grudges, by turning away from our guilt, and by leaving gifts of joy under the mother tree, which is humanity. This is my wish and challenge to you. May you have a happy winter solstice and may we leave the darkness behind us as the sun is resurrected once again.
Happy Winter Solstice, everyone!
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