Winter Solstice is our longest night of the year. The few extra minutes of dark often go unmarked in modern times—we use our artificial lights to not alter our schedules at all with the seasons. But the solstice is an important milestone in the story of a community and culture that still applies: that we made it through and we will continue. If we make it through tonight the sun will indeed return to us. Helping us be warm, grow the plants we and the other animals eat, and safely see the new generations arrive to keep the world we know going. The ancient people through their relationship with nature gods every year directly experienced the promise of their salvation. When Christianity was constructing their formal structure they actively absorbed the festivals of those they wanted to convert into their practices. The power of the solstice was removed from something experienced personally each and every year to something that would only be experienced after death or at the end of the world. We are really beginning to understand the impact from removing so many people from an immediate relationship to a reverence and appreciation of the power of their natural environment. We have an opportunity now to reclaim that direct connection for ourselves regardless of our spiritual beliefs.
Enjoy this long night (or your joyful longest day in the Southern Hemisphere) reflect on all that has come for you this year from our beautiful planet and when the light returns in the morning rejoice that an ancient promise has been kept.
LOVE everything about this post. Sending solstice blessings to you and Alfred <3
Blessed solstice to you.