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Holidays:  Winter Solstice  |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 02 2004 : 3:33:33 PM
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Just wondering if anyone out there does anything special for Winter Solstice? It's so easy to get caught up in the commercialism of the month, that I try to stay grounded by remembering/honoring the seasons and nature and my Creator, but don't have specific ideas about how to do that, since I'm not Wiccan. ElizArtist, (or others) do you have some ideas?
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Dec 02 2004 : 6:04:36 PM
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Clare I was thinking about posting the same topic today! My sister's birthday falls on the 21st of Dec. She would always complain about it being the shortest day of the year and soo dark and dreary. I took a class on Ancient Druid Studies and it changed my mind about this day. I walk out in the field at sunset on the shortest day and toast the sun and the bare trees and barren earth with hot mulled wine celebrating the sun's journey back to light... Someday I will do this at Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain in England like people have done for 5,000 years. I'ts a time for celebration of Light, not Darkness!
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Dec 02 2004 : 6:42:35 PM
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Since it will be a long, long time before I get to the UK, another idea is to walk my labyrinth with a votive candle at sunset the 21st. We have had some snow lately and it takes on a different look now that the hay is dead and dried out. Hopefully it will be a calm still evening and not too cold.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2004 : 08:14:00 AM
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Walking my labyrinth with a candle is a good, do-able idea... Thanks!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2004 : 1:25:59 PM
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For me it has been a glass of mulled MEAD and a turn around my medicine wheel to celebrate the new light coming. I light a candle at each of the four directions and at the center. This year it will be difficult but my brother and husband will probably be helpful in this important celebration.
Eileen
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2004 : 08:09:37 AM
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There's a nice article in the Nov/Dec issue of Natural Home on this subject. You may be able to access it online.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2004 : 08:00:20 AM
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Here are some links I found to help celebrate the solstice on the 21st. Have any of you explored the Paul Winter Music of the Earth series? He will have a winter solstice music concert as well as other artists broadcast on 200 stations around the nation on NPR. Check the link for your local stations listing! He is excellent.
http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html
http://www.livingmusic.com/solstice/
www.npr.org
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
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Juli Thorson
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Juli
Troy
ID
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2004 : 11:06:56 AM
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My husband and I celebrate the winter solstice with Swedish friends who host an annual solstice/St. Lucia party every year. We toast the return of the light, as they do in Sweden, then enjoy a marvelous spread of Scandanavian food similar to the Christmas dishes of my childhood. The friends have been having this party for 20 years and it's the highlight of our holiday season.
In recent years, we've done a sort of "return in kind" by hosting a midsummer night's eve party for the summer solstice. We have it in our west-facing yard, under an event tent, and toast the setting of the sun!
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2004 : 10:10:39 AM
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Hi Clare, It's a little late to post about the winter solstice but I hope you had a chance to look at the website that meadow lark posted- candle grove- it is so fascinating!You might want to make a note of it for next year. so many of our christmas traditions came from the ancient festivals centered around the winter solstice. I lit a candle that night because the wind was blowing to hard to set a bonfire as I had planned. Mostly for me, it was a celebration of learning something new and also remembering the things that are important to me. In the future I'll use this to help me continue to give more meaning to the holiday season and less commercialism. Be sure to read the visitors comments to see how others feel and celebrate the winter solstice. also here is another fun site http://www.moonchildren.com/holidays/wintersolstice/
Juli- I Think your celebration with friends sounds so fun. and now I'm going to have to learn more about the summer solstice! ~Kathy |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2004 : 10:37:35 AM
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Thanks Kathy! I did walk my labyrinth with a candle (while in the glow of the moon!) and used my medicine wheel by candle light too. When I came indoors I also lit a bunch of candles and tealights, which had a very soothing, glowing light. I agree, it's about looking inward and also honoring nature. Thanks for the referral site. Happy New Year too!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
Edited by - Clare on Dec 28 2004 10:38:51 AM |
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Holidays: Winter Solstice |
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Winter Solstice
