Solstice Best Wishes

Winter Solstice is tonight...the longest night of the year. We consider all our animal friends, those living wild in woods, water or wind and the beloveds in human homes or fields. 

By lynnbywaters

We live in times when it can be difficult to live grounded and connected to the earth that sustains us. Taking time to mark the seasonal changes has given us a new sense of gratitude and taught us to appreciate the darkness as well as the light.

Yule: A winter festival that was incorporated into Christmas and the Christmas season during the Christianisation of the Germanic peoples. An ancient Germanic pagan holiday centering around Winter Solstice, when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial sphere and the Earth's equator. Since ancient times, people all over the world have recognised this important astronomical occurrence and celebrated the subsequent “return” of the Sun.

At the entrance to Newgrange, Ireland. There's an opening above the lintel of the doorway.

The sun shines through the window above the lintel along the passage at Newgrange on Winter Solstice.

A link to experience tomorrow's dawn live at Newgrange may be found with The Office of Public Works, Livestream Now.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters

-----

.Winter Solstice Deer by Rion Wang

--------

The Twelve Nights of Yule & The Mother Goddess (as shared on The Raven and the Mystic FB page in 2022, but I can't find it again)

The first night of Yule, or "Mother Night' ('Módraniht') is December 21st, as Solstice breaks, and ends on January 1st. - 'Twelfth Night'. Many mystery pre-Christian traditions observed the Mother Goddess as the giver and nurturer of life, and celebrated feminine ancestors on Yule Eve.

The Mother Goddess gifts the world with the newly risen Solstice Sun, on the longest night of the year. Our Celtic/Norse/Pagan ancestors created feasts and fires in gratitude for the Spring to come and renewed life in the fields and flocks.

The Lunar Calendar which many earth-centered societies followed left 12 days outside the Roman* calendar. These twelve days were considered outside of the old year and new year, a liminal space where they could connect easily with ancestors, the realm of the Fey, or when the gods walked the earth; unseen yet accessible.

The thirteenth day after the Twelve Days of Yule, began the new cycle, or New Year.

* In Roman tradition, these are known as intercalary days (days inserted into the calendar to line up with the Lunar Calendar) December 26th to January 6th. January 6 is also known as Old Christmas, the date it was observed on before Pope Gregory XIII chopped 11 days from the calendar and moved Christmas Day to December 25th.

Whichever you choose to follow or observe, these are also known as the Omen Days, where one can look to signs from the Natural World each twelve days to predict what the next twelve months may hold for us personally.

There is a wonderful, mystical feeling to these Yule days out of time. I have always felt their mystery, even as a child. Everything seemed somehow suspended, until the thirteenth day, when I could palpably feel the transition to the new cycle.

Blessed Yule days Wise Ones! How will you live them?

xo Monika.

Art: Mary Feywood

------------------------

The Book of Secrets by Loreena McKennitt

I first heard this tune while watching a great video about goddesses, "Goddess Remembered," produced by Donna Read in Canada, in three sections. 

This documentary is a salute to 35,000 years of the goddess-worshipping religions of the ancient past. The film features Merlin Stone, Carol Christ, Starhawk, Luisah Teish and Jean Bolen, all of whom link the loss of goddess-centric societies with today's environmental crisis. This is the first part of a 3-part series that includes The Burning Times and Full Circle.

I think the other two segments are also on YouTube

----------------

Happy Hanukkah! The sixth candle on menorahs is being lit tonight at sunset.

Celebrations of light

 

Two more days until sun return at 10:03 am eastern time US.

Today's goddess:

Moving closer towards the winter solstice I’m thinking about light. [from Jenny Mendes on FB]

Theia is the child of the earth goddess Gaia and the sky god Uranus, as were all eleven of her siblings. Theia, whose name literally translates to goddess or divine, is the Greek goddess of light and vision.

Theia is also referred to as Euryphaessa in ancient texts, which means “wide-shining.” Scholars believe Theia is referred to as Eurphaessa in reference to the shimmering expanse of the upper atmosphere for which Theia was responsible.

Theia married her brother, the Titan Hyperion. Hyperion is the god of the sun and wisdom. Together Theia and Hyperion had three children who were all celestial deities that could manipulate light.

Theia is the mother of Selene (the moon), Helios (the sun), and Eos (the dawn). Because of her children, Theia is referred to as the goddess from which all light proceeded.

Children love Christmas!

Cover for The Saturday Evening Post (December 17, 1923) by J.C. Leyendecker

Sharing with Sepia Saturday the last post of 2025 for that meme. Looking forward to the next year!

From the Unitarian Universalists and I forgot to post this on the first night of Hanukkah, Dec. 14. Sorry.

By Veronika Veirag - I wish I  knew how big she is...maybe 1/4 human, or ??

Happy/Merry Whatever!

One of the myths that's grown up around Winter Solstice is about men, Kings. I don't follow that tradition, but in fairness to all, here's a bit of that story.

0

--------------------

For phone viewers of my blog, here's the current header.

The tallest lit tree in Black Mountain is at the Peri Social house.

Peri Social House meeting

 

On the porch of the Peri Social House, several Christmas trees and a mistletoe booth greet us.

I've been sharing many of the trees individually on my posts for the last week.

I still disagree with the decision the new owners made to paint the entire exterior black, including the roof! But inside are tastefully decorated comfortable seating nooks where people may gather and drink either coffee or spirits, depending maybe on the time of day! As you can see it's on a steep hill, so parking and getting to the front door is not easy for me!

What it looked like before!

The long hallway goes through the little store, through access to many  tables and nooks (one was reserved by a group when we visited) and finally back  to the room with the fireplace and the refreshment counter/bar.

We came for coffee and had a great long chat!

Friend Helen noticed this older fence which had rabbits and stars on the tops of some of the slats...I'll give you a closeup...

-----------------

Today's goddess:

North India, 3rd–2nd century BCE

------------

Today's quote:

---------

Three more days till the light returns on Winter Solstice!

The Orion constellation rising above the stones at Castlerigg Stone Circle, to the east of Keswick, in the Lake District National Park, North West England.

--------------------

 “Women get more beautiful as they grow older. Not less.

Female youth is only prized in modern culture because it doesn’t represent as much of a threat spiritually to anyone who is frightened of divine feminine power.

As women grow and mature, they call in stronger forces of sacred feminine wisdom. They vibrate with the creative power of their stories.

They are more of a force to be reckoned with.

They see more, know more, feel more. They put up with a lot less bullshit.

When women are trained into thinking there is something fundamentally wrong with getting older, and are coerced into spending money, energy and power investing in ‘slowing the signs of ageing’, an enormous vault of divine love is lost.

Just think what would happen if all the women in the world started loving themselves even more with every year that passed.

Perhaps a total revolution would occur.”

~ Sophie Bashford

Art: Andrea Redmond

Cailleach Moon Cottage

Sharing with "My Corner of the World"

Hanukkah lasts from Dec. 14-22, 2025. Each night a new candle is lit.

One of several trees at The Bistro Restaurant in Black Mountain.

-----------------------

Lumbee Indian Tribe gets Federal Recognition! (needs president's signature still, as of 5 pm press release)

My first job out of grad school was in Lumberton, Robeson County, NC. There were many Lumbee Indians in the workshop where I was the coordinator for various folks needing something to do, to train for jobs if possible, and to learn basic living skills to maybe be able to move from group homes to independent living. Every client had some kind of mental disability or illness.

Yes, that's me in the blue blouse and jeans on the right.

I also attended church in a chapel in Pembroke, the town with the most Lumbee Indians in the county. When I joined the Hope Chapel there were two others who joined with me, one of whom was a Lumbee.

I often hoped they would be able to have access to more services, which this new law (if Trump signs it) will enable.