font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; The sacred event of the Winter Solstice sings of a hope that the path of the Sun will soon grow strong; that life will burst forth and flourish once more. font-weight: 300; } } } This is true of paganism today. For indigenous peoples, it has been a time to. gtag( 'config', "G-5J99WN293C" ); June 21 is the Winter Solstice. They also faced their tipis or portable conical tents east toward the rising sun. Modern paganism thrives, drawing from the depths of its ancient wisdom. function gtag() { dataLayer.push( arguments ); } Subscribe to a newsletter to receive latest post and updates. Most notable is the Emu in the Sky, that stretches the length of the milky way galaxy where the dark spots observed along the length of the galaxy outline the shape of an emu. @font-face { The Sun King illuminates the world, bringing light, warmth and hope as He grows to His fullness with the approaching summer. Follow your own feelings and instincts. /* cyrillic */ unicode-range: U+0100-024F, U+0259, U+1E00-1EFF, U+2020, U+20A0-20AB, U+20AD-20CF, U+2113, U+2C60-2C7F, U+A720-A7FF; Weary from Her labour, the Goddess slumbers, resting until She bursts forth with new vigor and life as the light lengthens. The evergreen tree of Winter Solstice is a well-loved symbol of life victoriously denying the darkness and cold of winter. font-display: fallback; It also lists astronomical sunrise and sunset timings on Winter Solstice day. Australian Aboriginal elders have put out a call for people across the world to join them in one of the most important winter solstice ceremonies in millennia. /* latin-ext */ This is a special blog post. height: 100%; The golden wattle blooms, and to me these tiny orbs remind us that we are a small speck in a vast universe. Cockatoo chicks are hatching and ringtail possums are breeding. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; In terms of daylight, this day is 4 hours, 31 minutes shorter than the December solstice. font-weight: 100; font-style: normal; Holly represents the fertile aspects the season yearns for. /* greek */ When I think of Yule, its easy to think of the traditional symbols that accompany this time of year in the northern hemisphere like Christmas trees, open fires and picturesque images of snowy landscapes. } display: block; Out of the darkest and most challenging situations we can choose to grow and evolve, just as a majestic butterfly emerges from the solace of a dark cocoon, awakening and bursting forth into the Suns light and finally exuding the magnificent beauty that has lain hidden within. @font-face { @font-face { Many traditions of ancient cultures and belief systems are being embraced today, as they inspire similar messages of truth and peace. font-weight: 500; @font-face { font-weight: 600; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; /* cyrillic-ext */ src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYXgKVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdzeFb5N.woff2) format('woff2'); font-style: normal; Find out more with this link. unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; unicode-range: U+0102-0103, U+0110-0111, U+0128-0129, U+0168-0169, U+01A0-01A1, U+01AF-01B0, U+1EA0-1EF9, U+20AB; The remaining days, grouped into the five-day month of Wayeb,signify the end of the calendar year, though the Maya differed from other indigenous groups byobserving this time in February, rather than December or June. The entire Northern Hemisphere sees the shortest amount of sunlight all year, though how little light you get depends on your location. Yule, or Jul, comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning wheel. unicode-range: U+0100-024F, U+0259, U+1E00-1EFF, U+2020, U+20A0-20AB, U+20AD-20CF, U+2113, U+2C60-2C7F, U+A720-A7FF; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX9KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjSL9AI5sdO_q.woff2) format('woff2'); @font-face { } They rarely held large religious gatherings in the winter. We must be the light in the darkness that leads humankind from destruction of our planet to a healthier world for all the beings that reside on it. Mounting evidence is uncovering some of the earliest tool-making, land management (including farming) as well as evidence of being some of the oldest astronomers in the world; who could track tidal changes, animal behaviors, food supply availability and temperature shifts. June 21 is the Winter Solstice. font-display: fallback; As the Sun rises and grows stronger, these seeds break through the Earth and come to fruition. /* latin-ext */ font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; The Celts, American Indians, Persians, African tribes and Bon tribes of Tibet all knew survival was based on understanding the cycles of life. Aboriginal people relied almost exclusively on paintings and oral histories leaving little documented supporting evidence for researchers to build their understanding of the traditional cultures. font-display: fallback; The word solstice means to stand still. The name was chosen because during a solstice the sun appears to remain stationary in its position in the sky. /* greek */ text-align: center; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; Sip warm spiced teas. Allow your senses to become the Earth and recognise her imminent fertility. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; font-style: normal; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; @font-face { With over 400 Aboriginal tribes spread across the vast continent-country of Australia the tribes overall have distinctly differing cultures, beliefs and differing astronomical interpretations depending on their locations. unicode-range: U+0460-052F, U+1C80-1C88, U+20B4, U+2DE0-2DFF, U+A640-A69F, U+FE2E-FE2F; The pagan calendar celebrates eight core rituals throughout the year: four Greater Sabbats and four Lesser Sabbats. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTm2IdcdffuNmo.woff2) format('woff2'); unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; /* cyrillic-ext */ When you end this meditation and return to the present, the golden glow of your inner beauty will shine forth; remember to nurture this aspect of yourself regularly. @font-face { background: #7CA821; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; Indigenous customs vary among groups across Australia, but one story that appears in many local traditions is the tale of a great emu that sits in the sky. Again, they feature in Christmas culture in hymns and decorations. unicode-range: U+0301, U+0400-045F, U+0490-0491, U+04B0-04B1, U+2116; Mother Earth breathes and the land gently rises and falls to her graceful rhythm. A Yule log is a great tradition honoured at this time and sitting next to an open fire sipping on mulled wine or spiced cider is wonderfully warming. font-weight: 100; The Pygmy Sperm Whales were breaching. Today, my family still spends the darkest days of winter playing card games and attending the local community dances, much like my grandmother did. unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; /* latin */ unicode-range: U+0301, U+0400-045F, U+0490-0491, U+04B0-04B1, U+2116; The annual whale migration north to the mother whales birthing sites in the warm shallow tropical waters. unicode-range: U+0100-024F, U+0259, U+1E00-1EFF, U+2020, U+20A0-20AB, U+20AD-20CF, U+2113, U+2C60-2C7F, U+A720-A7FF; font-style: italic; Of course, in this age of global capitalism, ourcult of rabid consumerismhas all but supplanted the intended religious significance of the Christmas season; but whatever meaning you may giveit, winter solstice abides. This year, the inaugural Sydney Solstice, an entertainment and arts festival, offered locals a wild assortment of solstice revelry - from midnight yum-cha, Aboriginal stargazing cruises on. unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; Here in south east Queensland, theres a perceptible change. As religion scholar Tisa Wenger writes, The Zuni believe their ceremonies are necessary not just for the well-being of the tribe but for "the entire world.. 5 Indigenous Winter Solstice Celebrations That Honor the Shortest Day of the Year By Andrew S. Vargas 12.21.16 at 7:06 pm Inti Raymi / Photo: @Watana Christianity has always been pretty good at. unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; font-weight: 300; This animation by Sydney City Skywatchers fellow, astronomer Dr Nick Lomb, shows the daily motion of the Sun at the turning points of the year, the summer and winter solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes, as seen from southern latitudes at places such as Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. The winter solstice gave hope that eventually the light and warmth would return and soon the cold winter would depart. font-display: fallback; */ } font-display: fallback; Make a nourishing meal from plants font-display: fallback; unicode-range: U+0100-024F, U+0259, U+1E00-1EFF, U+2020, U+20A0-20AB, U+20AD-20CF, U+2113, U+2C60-2C7F, U+A720-A7FF; font-style: italic; unicode-range: U+0370-03FF; font-display: fallback; Sunrise, sunset and daylight hours font-weight: 700; font-weight: 200; Each year they hold annual harvest festivals and numerous religious ceremonies, including at the winter solstice. Keep the tradition going from year to year by saving part of the log to start next years Yule fire or try your hand at a rolled Yule log cake if you cant have a fire decorating your table with pine, rosemary, eucalypt, oranges and lemons. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTm5IVcdvfu.woff2) format('woff2'); The Goddess labours through the night birthing the Blessed Child, the Sun King. Following a largely nomadic existence and with the early European settlement interference decimating tribal life affecting the intergenerational passing of stories and traditions has definitely hindered researchers depth of knowledge. It was the first-quarter moon at the time of my birth. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX9KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjR7_AI5sdO_q.woff2) format('woff2'); The ancient Maya were deeply in touch with the cosmos, and had one of the most advanced bodys of astronomical knowledge of any civilization of their time. These are now commonly referred to as the Min Min lights and have spawned a bit of a modern mystery that has placed the rural township of Boulia on the map as a place of eerie events. font-display: fallback; Historians have postulated that many of the traditions of the Winter Solstice were woven into Christmas celebrations by the early church as a means of secularising its religious rites. We trust that nature will provide for us and let go of our fear knowing that the light will shine again. unicode-range: U+0102-0103, U+0110-0111, U+0128-0129, U+0168-0169, U+01A0-01A1, U+01AF-01B0, U+1EA0-1EF9, U+20AB; document.documentElement.classList.add( For example the Romans had a week-long celebration called Saturnalia during which all wars had to stop, and courts did not try criminals (3). font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; Acknowledge and celebrate this great gift of life on the longest night of the year. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; /* vietnamese */ font-style: italic; The winter solstice is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of sunlight and the Southern Hemisphere has the most. font-display: fallback; /* cyrillic-ext */ font-style: italic; font-style: italic; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX-KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjbLuGKZJSdY.woff2) format('woff2'); The dances held at the time of the solstice were moved to Christmas Day or to New Years Eve. font-style: normal; Both occur twice a year, but the equinox occurs when the sun is directly above the equator, and day and night are equal in length. } } } unicode-range: U+0460-052F, U+1C80-1C88, U+20B4, U+2DE0-2DFF, U+A640-A69F, U+FE2E-FE2F; /* latin-ext */ font-style: normal; /* latin */ font-style: italic; font-display: fallback; But unlike our more familiar Gregorian calendar, the Mayan calendar consisted of 18 months lasting 20 days each. Vivid, rich imagery is the legacy of the rites and rituals embedded in pagan culture. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX-KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjbLuGaZJSdY.woff2) format('woff2'); It is the day with the least amount of daylight hours for the year and for pagans it symbolizes the rebirth of the Sun. The cycle of the Sun and its effects on the bountiful Earth are the wonderful synergy on which this ancient belief system is based; Father Sun caresses Mother Earth in an ancient celestial dance, magically weaving in all who participate. font-display: fallback; Thats more or less why were all currently running around finishing up our last minute Christmas shopping. unicode-range: U+0370-03FF; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; @font-face { unicode-range: U+0000-00FF, U+0131, U+0152-0153, U+02BB-02BC, U+02C6, U+02DA, U+02DC, U+2000-206F, U+2074, U+20AC, U+2122, U+2191, U+2193, U+2212, U+2215, U+FEFF, U+FFFD; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX-KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjbLuFKZJSdY.woff2) format('woff2'); unicode-range: U+0460-052F, U+1C80-1C88, U+20B4, U+2DE0-2DFF, U+A640-A69F, U+FE2E-FE2F; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTmrINceffuNmo.woff2) format('woff2'); @font-face { The Min Min lights span the Channel Country crossing three states. unicode-range: U+0460-052F, U+1C80-1C88, U+20B4, U+2DE0-2DFF, U+A640-A69F, U+FE2E-FE2F; On this day, the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, traveling across the sky world above us in a short stride, resulting in the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER TRADITIONS. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTm5IVce_fuNmo.woff2) format('woff2'); Cyclone Themes. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; font-weight: 500; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; They passed their knowledge down to successive generations through complex stories and ritual practices. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYXgKVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhd7eFb5N.woff2) format('woff2'); @font-face { Cassowaries and wedge tail eagles are laying eggs. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTm5IVceffuNmo.woff2) format('woff2'); Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Montana. src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX7KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTmrINcdffuNmo.woff2) format('woff2'); What they found was telling: The sun aligned with both Woodhenge and the top of a temple mound a temple built on top of a pyramid with a flat top in the distance. Of course,half of this great continent is on the flipside of the equator, which means winter solstice actually falls in late June rather than December. text-decoration: none; font-display: fallback; The mother whale teaches her baby to swim and learn 'whale songs. font-style: italic; font-display: fallback; From such relatively crude reasoning, an understanding of the cyclic nature of life was formed. For indigenous peoples, it has been a time to honor their ancient sun deity. The winter solstice is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of sunlight and the Southern Hemisphere has the most. Bright, colourful candles and bonfires will burn through the night to herald the rebirth of the light after this time of darkness is complete. } /* latin */ The darkness cannot last forever and balance requires we move back towards the light. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; @font-face { font-display: fallback; The approach of midwinter is a wonderful time to embrace these rituals of the past, knowing the messages of gratitude, grace and celebration are still relevant and meaningful. They also found that the sun aligns with a different temple mound on summer solstice. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; } font-style: italic; Western commonalities like The Pleiades don't stop there. The plants holly, ivy and mistletoe are synonymous with the Winter Solstice tradition. font-style: italic; @font-face { Home; About. unicode-range: U+0370-03FF; font-style: normal; unicode-range: U+0102-0103, U+0110-0111, U+0128-0129, U+0168-0169, U+01A0-01A1, U+01AF-01B0, U+1EA0-1EF9, U+20AB; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX8KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTmdJZEUdLTDw.woff2) format('woff2'); Even further south, Chiles Mapuche people celebrate their new year with several days of festivities kicking off on June 21st and heating up a few nights later on the 23rd. We do share a common comfort that the stars above us are our loved ones watching peacefully over us. /* cyrillic */ border-radius:3px; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; font-display: fallback; 'jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled' src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX8KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTmdJZFUdLTDw.woff2) format('woff2'); Among other things, the solstice celebrates the innate creative powers of nature. Spend some time tending your inner garden, the place where you sow your hopes and dreams, and plant some seeds within, of beautiful flowers and foods you adore, giving each a quality or particular dream you aspire to. Perhaps you would like to give back to the Earth by considering your carbon footprint or donating to an environmental cause. Clip from Cahokias Celestial Calendar (Woodhenge) episode of PBS Native America., Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; font-family: 'IBM Plex Sans'; font-display: fallback; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX-KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTuGqZJSdY.woff2) format('woff2'); font-style: normal; font-style: italic; /* cyrillic */ font-display: fallback; /* cyrillic-ext */ src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX9KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKjQ76AI5sdO_q.woff2) format('woff2'); /* greek */ unicode-range: U+0301, U+0400-045F, U+0490-0491, U+04B0-04B1, U+2116; font-style: normal; src: url(https://fonts.wp.com/s/ibmplexsans/v14/zYX-KVElMYYaJe8bpLHnCwDKhdTuE6ZJSdY.woff2) format('woff2'); } The moon is 77% visibility Waxing Gibbous right now. But what is shared with the public is near the end of the ceremony, when six Zuni men dress up and embody the spirit of giant bird deities.