Winter Solstice Celebration?

[Artfuldodger]

Did anyone celebrate the solstice December the 21st this year? Maybe went up to Elberton?
It sneaked right past me. I don't celebrate it but I am glad the days are getting longer. I would assume a Christian could celebrate it realizing that God made the earth and sun.
A Christian could thank God for his creation and for our seasonal cycles that keep everything in balance.
I might have to head up to Elberton for the spring (vernal) equinox. Being in the great outdoors under the stars with my cell phone makes me feel closest to the Great Scientist.
Life is wonderful!

 

[TTom]

I did a quiet personal solstice celebration this year, a call to the quarters, a little extra to the North, played my singing bowl along with the call.

North direction for the element Earth, stability, roots, grounded, a time for inner contemplation.

Contemplated the returning of the light, considered what things bring light into my life and what things bring darkness. Reminding myself to add more of the former and allow less of the later.

Let a candle burning overnight to symbolize that the light was not going to die.



Nothing fancy or even well thought out.

 

[ambush80]

I did a quiet personal solstice celebration this year, a call to the quarters, a little extra to the North, played my singing bowl along with the call.

North direction for the element Earth, stability, roots, grounded, a time for inner contemplation.

Contemplated the returning of the light, considered what things bring light into my life and what things bring darkness. Reminding myself to add more of the former and allow less of the later.

Let a candle burning overnight to symbolize that the light was not going to die.



Nothing fancy or even well thought out.

Why is North the direction for the element Earth and when is it not a good time for inner contemplation?

I'm honestly curious. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Old Winchesters]

We put up some solstice lights and baked a ham...

 

[TTom]

Why is North the direction for the element Earth and when is it not a good time for inner contemplation?

I'm honestly curious. Thanks for sharing.

Ambush, each of the cardinal directions is assigned one of the 4 classic elements Earth (north) Air (east) Fire (south) or Water (west). In some traditions they are also assigned an animal (totem). These tie together to provide focus on specific ideas and concepts.

In this case North, winter, element earth, totem bear, ties together the idea of hibernation, long dark hours, with more time spent indoors due to colder temps. The lack outside stimulus lends itself to contemplation of things inward. Caves, the recesses in our own souls, things burried, etc. Natural rhythm if seeds and nuts, germination...

On the vernal equinox we look East, spring, element air totem frequently a bird (my specific is the Kestral), emergence, from earth shell or mother, inspiration, forethought, the time for big dreams to take flight.

On the summer solstice we look south, summer, warmth, the element Fire, Passion, not just that kind of passion, but the fire inside that allows us to continue to work on those things we were inspired to dream about in the spring. Totems are the most varied, but aften reflect on colors one sees in fires (lions are common as are magical creatures, ) My own Fire totem is yet to reveal itself.

On the autumnal equinox we look west towards the sea element water, things effected like tides, the bounty from our inspiration through the work of passion, cycling to the harvest. Obviously an aquatic totem is called for. My personal is also yet to be revealed to me.

and back to Winter.

Tough to write it all out plainly for me just yet, as I'm still working things out for myself using the common themes of elements, seasons, totems etc.

But hopefully that will give you the basics of where they are drawn from.

 

[ambush80]

Ambush, each of the cardinal directions is assigned one of the 4 classic elements Earth (north) Air (east) Fire (south) or Water (west). In some traditions they are also assigned an animal (totem). These tie together to provide focus on specific ideas and concepts.

In this case North, winter, element earth, totem bear, ties together the idea of hibernation, long dark hours, with more time spent indoors due to colder temps. The lack outside stimulus lends itself to contemplation of things inward. Caves, the recesses in our own souls, things burried, etc. Natural rhythm if seeds and nuts, germination...

On the vernal equinox we look East, spring, element air totem frequently a bird (my specific is the Kestral), emergence, from earth shell or mother, inspiration, forethought, the time for big dreams to take flight.

On the summer solstice we look south, summer, warmth, the element Fire, Passion, not just that kind of passion, but the fire inside that allows us to continue to work on those things we were inspired to dream about in the spring. Totems are the most varied, but aften reflect on colors one sees in fires (lions are common as are magical creatures, ) My own Fire totem is yet to reveal itself.

On the autumnal equinox we look west towards the sea element water, things effected like tides, the bounty from our inspiration through the work of passion, cycling to the harvest. Obviously an aquatic totem is called for. My personal is also yet to be revealed to me.

and back to Winter.

Tough to write it all out plainly for me just yet, as I'm still working things out for myself using the common themes of elements, seasons, totems etc.

But hopefully that will give you the basics of where they are drawn from.

Thanks for the info. Is this a mix of Druid and American Indian beliefs?

 

[TTom]

A mix of many more than just those two. My personal path is ecclectic gathering those things that speak to me from most every spiritual path I have found. Some native american beliefs from various nations, celtic, norse, tribal, eastern mysticism, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic ( more specifically Sufi Muslim), Judaism, Taoism, any number of religions can be a source for me. Ceentral to my beliefs is the idea that each spiritual path received a part of the truth, unfortunately they each tend to believe they have the whole truth or at least that their fragment is the only correct one. In the end I believe man's purpose is to piece together the truth from all the fragments.

 

[ambush80]

A mix of many more than just those two. My personal path is ecclectic gathering those things that speak to me from most every spiritual path I have found. Some native american beliefs from various nations, celtic, norse, tribal, eastern mysticism, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic ( more specifically Sufi Muslim), Judaism, Taoism, any number of religions can be a source for me. Ceentral to my beliefs is the idea that each spiritual path received a part of the truth, unfortunately they each tend to believe they have the whole truth or at least that their fragment is the only correct one. In the end I believe man's purpose is to piece together the truth from all the fragments.

Where do you get the sense that he "spirit" exists and what to you is its nature?

I hope I'm not asking too may questions but as you can tell this stuff fascinates me.

 

[TTom]

Ask away Ambush, I've not seen you as anyone who would be asking questions in order to do a gotcha. However, some questions I'm not going to have a good answer for. I'm frequently in a state of flux when it comes to what I believe in matters of the spirit, because I'm always learning something new, and have to adjust.

My sense that the spirit exists comes in part from upbringing, where my Mom insisted that I examine more than just the Christian faith. Although she was Catholic, and Dad a Baptist they agreed from the start to raise us kids with the idea that we should find our own path to faith. Other parts of my faith in spirit comes from the fact that reading about various religions from around the world, the number of similarities, even between faiths that had no obvious contact many of the stories and lessons about how man is related to the larger universe have themes that are parallel. Studies of various faiths was placed into context for me by Joseph Campbell's works and the fact that archetypes repeat in most societies stories and scriptures. Additionally taking from more than a few gnostic traditions, because I look for my own individual relationship with the universe not for how others should do it, I have taken a few spiritual journeys and had experiences which lead me to believe that there is a larger than us spirit, universal consciousness, a connection to it palpable to me during those journeys. Seeing what some people are capable of when they focus those energies and harness them, also adds to my faith. People knowing things they shouldn't be able to know, people capable of things they shouldn't be capable of. Things that just don't make sense without something connecting us to something greater than us.

AS to my beliefs on the nature of this universal conciousness by whatever name. I'm not sure that is knowable for me at this point. I tend to see the spirit as not a specific singluar consciousness, but a collective consciousness that changes as the number of beings with consciousness in the temporal world changes. This hinges on the idea that we each are entrusted with a piece of that consciousness at birth, and that that piece is reabsorbed into the larger pool when we are through with it here.
This to is something I have seen repeated in concept in various religions (Image of God, universal consciousness, the soul, ...)

 

[ambush80]

Ask away Ambush, I've not seen you as anyone who would be asking questions in order to do a gotcha. However, some questions I'm not going to have a good answer for. I'm frequently in a state of flux when it comes to what I believe in matters of the spirit, because I'm always learning something new, and have to adjust.

My sense that the spirit exists comes in part from upbringing, where my Mom insisted that I examine more than just the Christian faith. Although she was Catholic, and Dad a Baptist they agreed from the start to raise us kids with the idea that we should find our own path to faith. Other parts of my faith in spirit comes from the fact that reading about various religions from around the world, the number of similarities, even between faiths that had no obvious contact many of the stories and lessons about how man is related to the larger universe have themes that are parallel. Studies of various faiths was placed into context for me by Joseph Campbell's works and the fact that archetypes repeat in most societies stories and scriptures. Additionally taking from more than a few gnostic traditions, because I look for my own individual relationship with the universe not for how others should do it, I have taken a few spiritual journeys and had experiences which lead me to believe that there is a larger than us spirit, universal consciousness, a connection to it palpable to me during those journeys. Seeing what some people are capable of when they focus those energies and harness them, also adds to my faith. People knowing things they shouldn't be able to know, people capable of things they shouldn't be capable of. Things that just don't make sense without something connecting us to something greater than us.

AS to my beliefs on the nature of this universal conciousness by whatever name. I'm not sure that is knowable for me at this point. I tend to see the spirit as not a specific singluar consciousness, but a collective consciousness that changes as the number of beings with consciousness in the temporal world changes. This hinges on the idea that we each are entrusted with a piece of that consciousness at birth, and that that piece is reabsorbed into the larger pool when we are through with it here.
This to is something I have seen repeated in concept in various religions (Image of God, universal consciousness, the soul, ...)

Sounds Buddhist, like Nirvana. That agrees the most to me with what is observed in the natural world. Things change form and get recycled. Conservation of energy and all.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I watched K-PAX tonight. The universe expands and contracts. Every time this happens everything one has done repeats, even the bad things.
Very different from things getting better and better with each change.

 

[ambush80]

I watched K-PAX tonight. The universe expands and contracts. Every time this happens everything one has done repeats, even the bad things.
Very different from things getting better and better with each change.

A valid hypothesis?

 

[Artfuldodger]

A valid hypothesis?

I'm trying to broaden my view of "nature" to include the Universe.

I'm not too sure it's very valid hypothesis, just something to ponder.

 

[ambush80]

I'm trying to broaden my view of "nature" to include the Universe.

I'm not too sure it's very valid hypothesis, just something to ponder.

I suppose its valid. As valid as a Multiverse, though Mutiverse can be computed to some degree. We can't know what happens after or what happened before the known universe anyway. That should be the operating platform.

 

[NCHillbilly]

If there is anything on this planet worth celebrating, it is definitely the existence and repetition of the natural cycles that make the earth livable for us and everything else on it. I tend to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes.

 

[swampstalker24]

Did anyone celebrate the solstice December the 21st this year? Maybe went up to Elberton?
It sneaked right past me. I don't celebrate it but I am glad the days are getting longer. I would assume a Christian could celebrate it realizing that God made the earth and sun.
A Christian could thank God for his creation and for our seasonal cycles that keep everything in balance.
I might have to head up to Elberton for the spring (vernal) equinox. Being in the great outdoors under the stars with my cell phone makes me feel closest to the Great Scientist.
Life is wonderful!

A few years back I was headed back from NC to GA on the winter solstice and decided to stop at the Georgia Guidestones on my way through...... the timing was perfect and I got to see the sun shine through the hole in the stones... it was pretty neat

 

[mtnwoman]

I don't celebrate at a fesival, never have. But I do celebrate the returning of the 'light' and like another post the cycles we go thru to be able to live on this earth. It is awesome to me.

I'd loved to have seen the sun thru that hole in the stones. God is amazing, beyond comprehension, magnificent in His creation. We can't even define it.