BS: Merry Solstice etc.

Subject: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Dec 06 - 07:05 PM

The following website has some really neat "origins" Solstice and Christmas stuff and a daily page about the winter season. Here is Today's Page. I wanted to share it with you.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Dec 06 - 07:10 PM

Found that one at THIS ONE. Lots of other neat links!

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Dec 06 - 07:25 PM

More neat stuff HERE.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Dec 06 - 10:24 AM

Here's one of the things for Today, from the first link:

Hopi Sun Prayer

You who are the source of all power,
Your rays illuminate the whole world,
Illuminate our hearts also,
So we too may do your work...
Asquali, Holy Ancestors

Insight on the Sun Prayer

The Sun is our Father, the elders remind us over and over.... So it is fitting here at Touch The Earth Foundation we start our day and most all of our ceremonies with this Prayer to the Sun and it is incorporated in all of our prayer work.

The suggested and most effective way to prepare to do the Sun Prayer we have found is:

*Stand facing the Sun or a symbol of the Sun (candle / fire ) even in your mind, anything that looks like the Yellow Father Sun.

*Place a offering of Corn Meal , Tobacco or food offering for the Holy Ones. A cup of pure water also if you have one or do the ceremony by water.

*With your mind and/or hands go through your body and remove anything that is not in Harmony with your highest good. This can be physical things, like a headache or spiritual things like a broken heart. Take these things in your imagination and give them away to the Father Sun.

Continue to remove things from you body and aura until you feel clean and pure inside. Like a hallow tube or bone to allow the good work of the Creator to work in and through you.

*Visualize the Sun and its energy moving in through the top of your head and all the way down through your feet. See the Sun's energy moving down into the middle of the mother Earth to purify the Earth's energy and grid systems.

*When you feel yourself as being a pillar of Golden Sun Light then reach out your hands, palms upward, in a cupped fashion. What is received in your hands will be your gift from the Holy Ones to renew and purify you.

* All the extra (and there will be much) send out through your "Heart" out into the World. See Golden Yellow Light pouring from your heart and chest area and direct it to renew and purify the World and all our Relations in the Love of the Creators Goodness and our Holy Ancestors.

*Sing your healing or Thanksgiving song as this is happening... We sing the Sundance song of the Lakota. However, there are many songs, maybe your personal power song, or chant or pray one that fits the moment and intention you have for that day. It does not have to be Native American and in time your very own spirit song will be revealed to you if you do this exercise with a pure and loving intent.

Then say the prayer once more before closing...in thanksgiving for another beauitfull day.

You who are the source of all power,
Whose rays illuminate the whole world,
Illuminate our hearts also,
So we to may do your work*
Thank you Holy Ancestors*

Repeat as often as desired.

This prayer is Grammar school approved. We have done this in over 12 public schools and not one parent or teacher complained.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Amos
Date: 14 Dec 06 - 12:55 PM

"In astronomy, the winter solstice is the moment when the earth is in a point of its orbit at which the northern or southern hemisphere is most inclined away from the sun. This causes the sun to appear at its farthest below the celestial equator when viewed from earth. Solstice is a Latin borrowing and means "sun stand", referring to the appearance that the sun's noontime elevation change stops its progress, either northerly or southerly. "



en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

(For the Tropic of Capricorn, the winter solstice is usually December 22. A.)

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 09:36 AM

It's come! Merry Solstice, friends!!

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 11:39 AM

Happy northern hemisphere winter solstice indeed, Kat et al.

I send out a market commentary to my customers every day, but in this litigious age, I copy today's offering:-

I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone.
So I met with my solicitor yesterday and pursuant to his advice and on the occasion of the shortest day, I have been advised to issue the following statement:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted Gregorian calendar year of 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her / him or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Micca
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 11:42 AM

Out of Darkness we have come
Out of blood and Bone, aware
Out of winter, frozen, numb
Moving towards the yuletime fire

Come with voice and merry tune
Come with hearts as light as chaff
As predicted by the Rune
Now the Cycle fills, we laugh

Laugh with joy at change of year
Laugh with joy at its rebirth
Gather , friends, and hold each near
Sharing joy and food and Mirth


Days will lengthen, Maydays dawn
Lies beyond cold Imbolcs Gate
When again we'll dance (and yawn)
As Beltane we'll celebrate

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: number 6
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 11:47 AM

Thank you for that Micca.

Happy Solstice to all !

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Cats
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 12:11 PM

Jon and I have just returned from seeing the Solstice Sun down at the Hurlers on Bodmin Moor. Although many go there for Midsummer sun rise the central stone in the second circle lines up with the sun as it drops at Solstice. This means our house lines up exactly with the circles as well. Brightest Blessings at Solstice. Welcome back the sun.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: GUEST,maire-aine
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 12:42 PM

Thank you Skipjack K8, for a very well-crafted document and the wishes contained therein.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 01:25 PM

Micca, thank you for the Beauty of your Words.

Glad you all came to this thread. Thanks!

Merry Meet!

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Raedwulf
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 01:26 PM

Seasonal Grumblings, All...

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 01:31 PM

Today is also the seventh candle day of Hannukah.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: GUEST,Drunken Fish Worshiper
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 01:48 PM

And the fifteenth day of Fishval! *hiccup*

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Tinker
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 05:21 PM

Ah Micca the sun here has set now and the moon is rising or the Lady.
Gentle blessings to all.

Tinker

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 08:04 PM

I am a firm believer in celebrating any holiday that can't run away fast enough to escape me. So take your choice(s) from the celestial smorgasbors han have a buncha good holidays with much love from my cozy hollow fox's den here in the Midwest USA.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: freda underhill
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 08:08 AM

In Australia Christmas falls just after the summer solstice, when we begin our movement towards winter.

The planet rotates, the seasons come and go, through that we have a sense of time and season. In European countries, seasons bring familiar cycles of birth and death and regeneration. But in Australia, our landscape and climate are so different. The seasons here aren't as marked, you will always find something flowering, all through the year. European rituals and myths have not translated so well.

So, while many of us in Oz may wish each other a Merry Solstice, what can it mean here where nature is in a different rhythm?

In Australia we have vast skies and vast horizons. Our earlier ancestors have a dreamtime that has a sense of timelessness. For Indigenous Australians, the past is still alive and vital today and will remain so into the future.

So, from a living multiverse, I wish you all Merry Solstice!

x freda

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Trevor
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 09:12 AM

"Here comes the sun, di-dern-di-dern, and I feel all right"

Except for the after-effects of an extremely energetic wassailing-crawl last night, through Bishops Castle. We seem to be high enough to be avoiding the fog and, with no moon, about a squillion stars were shining.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Alba
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 10:46 AM

Twas a quietly beautiful Solstice.
May Everyone be filled with the feelings of Peace and Contentment in their Hearts.

With Love to All and as Tinker has been so kind to ask, may we be open to receive the gifts of Gentle Blessings

Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Tig
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 12:06 PM

We have just returned from celebrating Solstice at Whitby with Bill t'Bodger and Col K where the sun shone and the sea was calm. The moors were magical as we drove across them with the sun highlighting the mist and frost in the valleys.

Happy Solstice and Peace to all of you.

Tig
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Emma B
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:41 AM

Celebrated Solstice in "The Witches Garden" many thanks to my lovely hosts.

Winter women

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: Emma B
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:43 AM

I'm having a "bad-link" day!

Winter Women

They come, the winter women, at harvest time
Turning the great Yule wheel, cross-quartered,
Down Persephone's dark road
While the earth weeps a mother's tears.

The Baba comes to the barn,
Corn Mother, Corn Maiden, Old Wife, Oatwife
Tossed high on the harvest, dancing, queening it she comes
The year's last sheaf come home.

Creeping she comes, the Old Wife of the Celts,
Cailleach Bheur, hag goddess, crag goddess,
Leaping from the rocks to lock the Bride of spring away.

She whistles up her winter winds, that pack of dogs
That follow dark Frau Gaude on her icy rounds.
Keening she comes! You careless ones,
Who leave your doorways cracked ajar
Will hear her dogs' keen whining at your hearth.

You lazy spinsters, mind your distaff's full
And wind your spindles tidy by the fire
Lest Berchta send you plague or blind your eyes for spying.

Sweep your altar stone
And pile the green boughs high to call her forth
To tell your future in the flames where past and present mingle at your hearth.
Bright candle flames now wreath her, crowned in lingonberry,
Saint Lucia bringing light out of the heart of Northern darkness.

She brings you gifts of plenty, La Befana sweeping on her broom
Beware, and honor her! Lest your Epiphany be black as coal.

Black it was, in the beginning,
When the sun was on the far side of the world
And Spider Woman made the long journey with her pot of clay
To bring the sun back to the Cherokee.

Mary brought the Son, they say, the Prince of Peace --
For unto us a child is born! and the year begins anew.

Children carol for her, Kolyada, whiterobed in her snowy sleigh
In her deep Russian woods of frozen winter streams
where the winter nymphs, Rusalky, sing their secret solstice songs.

There in those winter woods was born the snegurochka, Snow Maiden,
Ancient spirit, daughter of spring and winter come to earth.

At Candlemas, cross-quarter time, the Old Hag springs again,
But this time Brigit's cross wheels high above the door
And the frail Snow Maiden melts into her summer lover's arms.

See where they come, the winter women, in the bleak midwinter night
To summon up the sun and bring us light.

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:45 AM

Evil be gone!

Subject: RE: BS: Merry Solstice etc.
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 06:17 AM

Yes, we'll debauch our Lady's grace
We'll drink until we vomit hate
It's an excuse to use ourselves
To promulgate a selfish fate