Winter Solstice is Thu, Dec 21, 2023, 8:27 p.m

"Winter Sanctuary"   © S. Roger Joyeux, used with permission.

A tradition we have every year is to participate in a Winter Solstice Celebration – whether we attend one or host one.  Here is some information about Winter Solstice.

On the longest night of the year, December 21st, we celebrate an ancient celebration, often called "Yule".  This is the Winter Solstice celebration that honours the long night, and welcomes the Mother Goddess to give birth to her child, the SUN. From this day, the daylight hours will grow longer, as Sun matures.  We celebrate Yule by lighting a big bonfire to welcome the light, and by burning Yule logs (pine logs) to honour the birth of something new.  At the sametime, we set our intentions because Winter Solstice is a magical season . . . one that marks the journey from this year to the next, journeys of the spirit from one world to the next, and the magic of birth, death, and rebirth.  We ask to shed that which no longer serves us, set our vision of what we desire for the next year, and take the winter to dream it into being.  We also give wishes to loved ones, to ensure the blessing on our visions.  We take our vision of what we will become and offer this to the Goddess for a blessing. As well, we offer gratitude for what we have and gift good wishes to others. 

In Sweden, The Goddess Lucina is known as the Sun Goddess. The people celebrate the return of the Sun Goddess on the day of the year when the night is the longest. By giving her this adoration, the next day, there will be an increase in daylight signalling something new! Lucina gives birth to the young Sun who will grow in strength to be able to nourish the Spring and the Summer so the world may flourish. Lucina asked the people to create joyfulness by decorating evergreens, the tree of life and death, which are sacred to her. As well, she asked them to put up holly, which is the symbol of rebirth (abundance and prosperity for the year). Mistletoe, also sacred to her, is the symbol of peace. The decorating of pine trees and the hanging of holly and mistletoe are traditions that originated with the Goddess Lucina.

That tradition was passed down to me by my Grandmother. When I was little, my Grandmother, who was Swedish and Norwegian, always sent a big box of presents at Christmas time on the years they did not come to visit. In the box would be several branches of Holly and a sprig or two of Mistletoe, to wish our family prosperity and peacefulness for the upcoming year.  Grandpa grew mistletoe and holly as part of his flower garden so Grandma sent a link from their house to ours. 

Note that the picture of holly comes from http://www.trainingreference.co.uk/ . We are grateful for their help.

We wish you all to have a branch of holly and a sprig of mistletoe!

Happy Winter and many blessings,

Judy

Minding The Soul

I was having a discussion about life and particularly, the way life is now playing out with a long time friend.  She said to me, what if our soul wants us to die now.  The thought took me so by surprise that I was speechless!  She asked me if I was okay.  I said that I was, but that the idea of our soul wanting us to die, ultimately so that we can move on to other things, simply got my mind churning away on new ideas.  

I remembered the poem, “Invictus”, and I wondered whether indeed we were the captains of our own souls.  My thought is that once we reach a high level of vibration, then our earthly soul merges with our higher self, and it doesn’t really matter.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. 

William Ernest Henley

It is worth reading this poem several times.  There are some big ideas in it that are good for focusing your meditation.

Many blessings,

Judy

Walking In The Light

I had an interesting experience where a client asked me - “What does it mean to walk in the light?”  I wasn’t sure how to answer the question because walking in the light is an individual experience.  As always, my guides helped me out by referring me to a picture of my husband walking in the light.

I took this amazing picture of my husband when we were in Sedona quite a few years ago.  We are across the saddle from Kachina Woman.  He had climbed up an out cropping of rocks to get some better pictures.  When I looked back at him, he seemed to be covered in an explosion of light.  

You can see the rays of light come around the top of the rock and make an arc, as though a cone of light has been set over him.  There is a very bright orb in the foreground, with green reflection off of it.  If you look at the picture closely, you can see amazing hues of purple and blue against the rock.

I asked him if he could feel any energy up there.  He said that it was simply peaceful.  (For camera enthusiasts, I simply used my cell phone camera.). I think that that is the best explanation of walking in the light… it is the ability to be absolutely peaceful and calm in everything that you do.

Many blessings,

Judy