Solstice

[cheddarsox]

Any plans for the Solstice?

I'm a Northern Hemi person, so it's midwinter for us.
The weather has been unseasonably warm, but the days are still short. This is one of the most important holy days in my year, and I like to observe it with friends.

It is a sober, hopeful holy day. We gather for a bread and soup meal, have a ritual/meditation and then a bonfire. There is joy in gathering, but we tend to focus on some of life's harsher lessons...but in the harshness there is hope. In times of cold and dark, we make the effort to gather and share. In times of doubt and depression, we bother to build a fire. When we are feeling alone, we gather and drink from the common bowl, when we would choose to give up, we rededicate ourselves to this mystery called life...and go on.

This year our theme is "what are you waiting for...when you wish upon a star." We will take time to meditate on our hopes wishes and dreams...and the reasons we are in a "holding" pattern about some of them. We'll take time to come to terms with what we think we want, what we truly want and what we are willing to work for, and what we are just going to wait for. No particular agenda other than clarity.

The Solstice altar is up and decorated. Gold metallic paper, crystal, and gold curling ribbons, gold and white Christmas lights, cookies cut into suns, stars, and roosters, greeting the sun. And this years thrift shop find of a lovely rooster figurine.

Some friends and I took a pre-holiday pilgramage to the mountains to a retreat center over the weekend. I am very spoiled to be able to do this. It was a day trip, and we hiked, picnicked, walked the labyrinth, did yoga and tai chi in the sun and took advantage of the chakra mediation light room.

I've been making soup and bread, and I feel really good preparing for the celebration. I like the effort it takes to make these things happen, that they don't come packaged for convenience. That I have to make a decision, and then work towards that end. It feels right, like I have a part in things. I feel myself as a gear in the cosmic machinery, a part of what takes place, not merely a spectator, or receiver. But a creator.

cheddar

[Lunacie]

One of our coven members and her fiance have chosen Yuletide to be married - by our very own HP and HPs. :) Handfasting/wedding ceremony to be followed by Yule ritual. I sure hope I can be there - but I may be spending the weekend with my sister (who is dying of ovarian cancer that spread).

Blessed Winter Solstice to everyone.

[Elderbush]

Oh, Luna, I'm so sorry to here that. May you have a blessed Winter Solstice with your family.

[Windsmith]

I'm not one for planning holiday celebrations in advance, unless it involves going to other people's parties.

But on the Winter Solstice, I'm usually up in time to throw some clothes on, stagger outside, and sing in the sunrise. Then I stagger back to bed for a couple hours (if I have the day off, which I do this year). When I wake up again, I like to spend some "me time" making art that reflects whatever I'm thinking and feeling about the Winter, the darkness, the long night. After that I putz around and do dishes and laundry and other thoroughly uninteresting things until my wife and I go out to dinner (our first date was a Winter Solstice party, so we celebrate on Winter Solstice, even when it's on a different date from...um...the date). We hold this as an excellent holiday for making and renewing promises, and an anniversary is an extra-excellent time for that. We have a ritual where we put Winter decorations on our altar, do show-and-tell with the art we created during the day, and welcome back the Sun. Then I sing in the long night and go to bed.

[Eleisawolf]

We had a huge blizzard in Colorado, so yesterday I was stranded at home, which was wonderful! My husband shoveled while I made a good breakfast. We read a lot, and played games, and played with the dog, and napped.

I had a vigil lamp lit all day (from the Russian Orthodox tradition, it's an oil lamp lit through important events; I've adapted it to my uses--I light it on my own holy days). The sweet scent of the olive/vegetable oil infused with rose subtly pervaded our home. I also burned incense twice--one rose, one lily of the valley. With these scents, through all the parts of the day my mind was brought back to the solstice.

We went out to shovel the car out, knowing I'd have to come in to work today, at about 5:15. Since the solstice was at 5:22 our time, I rang my bell before we went outside. My husband remarked it was perfect that we were going outside to spend time in the snow for the solstice moment.

When we were done shoveling, we stopped and looked up at the stars, which were out for the first time in three days. Light reflecting off the snow made it hard to see them, but I imagined all my favorites... especially Orion.

We went inside, took hot baths, and prepared for bed. We toasted winter with the special bottle of vodka that "D'ed Moroz" brought for the Solstice (:cheers: ); I offered some to Grandfather Frost in thanks for the loved snow (and much needed moisture!). Then I read my love to sleep and drifted off myself.

In case you couldn't tell, my ceremony is very spontaneous. Ringing the bell is really the one part I like to try to keep. Some years I do more--including future-looking rituals like divination and resolution making or healthy rituals like a solid morning of yoga and healthy food with a candle meditation... :hehehehe: This year, I might still do some of that this weekend, but for now I'm good. Yesterday felt... right.

Peace to you all, and Blessed Solstice