Earth enters the Season of Solstice, as Her tilt in relationship with Sun leans us to the furthest point, in both Southern and Northern Hemispheres:

see Her there in your mind’s eye, where She is – where we are – in Her orbit …

For the Southern Hemisphere December Solstice is the awesomeness of the return to the dark, out of the peaking of the long daily hours of light: it is a celebration of the fullness of Being, and the pouring forth of it – a fulfillment of purpose, and the gift that each and all is.

 

 

For the Northern Hemisphere December Solstice is the the magic of the return to the light, out of the peaking of the long daily hours of darkness: it is a celebration of the Birth of all manifest form, of Being, the Promise of ongoing Creativity – and the small births hoped for in each and all.

The Solstices mirror each other … 

– the Summer peaking of light celebrating a Radiance, the shining forth of all that a being is/may be, which is at the same time a dissolving of self … as happens in every moment, and as our Sun does in every moment

– the Winter peaking of dark celebrating the Origins/Womb of all, which is at the same time a flaring forth of being … as happens in every moment in the quantum foam, and as the Sun’s “return” may assure.

The Solstices – both Summer and Winter – celebrate an essential Cosmic mystery of sacred Interchange, a reciprocity at the heart of Life, the relational quality of existence … “to be is to be related”[1] – to be is to be in deep Communion. Mother Sun is a primary model for this deep Communion, and generosity of being, a model for what Australian Indigenous peoples name as “ngapartji-ngapartji”[2]. This quality celebrated at Solstice may be understood as a primordial “Mother” quality (as I do describe it in PaGaian Cosmology), a quality that is understood by all primal cultures, and within our own essential nature – we are all of Her, and return to Her.

O holy Solstice Moment of grace[3]

Summer Solstice may be a celebration of the union of the fullness of being with the space/void/night to whom all returns – the re-union of this form that we are, that we so love, with All-That-Is: the fulfilment of our purpose, the small selves that we are – shining forth and given over … an ongoing “Give-Away”[4] in every moment, in every day: just as our Mother Sun is radiant. It is traditionally often expressed as a moment of union of Beloved and Lover: and so it is, each and all return to Her.

Winter Solstice may be a celebration of the space/void/night out of which all arises – existence springs forth in every moment out of the dark sentience in which we are always immersed … it is an ongoing miracle of manifestation, in every moment, in every day: as constant creativity breaks forth from the seamless Dark Womb of Space. It is expressed cross-culturally and throughout the ages in the icon of Mother and Child[5]: the original relationship, that each partakes in … each and all are born of Her.

The actual Moment of December Solstice @ EarthGaia is 4:48 UT 22nd, (that’s 14:48 22nd EST Australia which is where I am). For other global times see archaeoastronomy.com

For some Summer Solstice Poetry: PaGaian Summer Solstice 2009 on YouTube

For some Winter Solstice Poetry: PaGaian Winter Solstice 2009 on YouTube

If you are celebrating Winter Solstice – The Birthplace of the Universe  may be an inspiring contemplation of our Origins, the Womb in which we are. And whichever Solstice it is that you may be celebrating, these short clips of Brian Swimme’s DVD’s may be nurturant of that spirit: Generosity of the Sun and Radiance

Here at our Place in the Blue Mountains of Australia, we will gather for Summer Solstice ceremony in MoonCourt on the 19th December at 6pm. The invitation reads:

This is the time when the light part of day is longest …

You are invited to celebrate

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Light reaches Her fullness, and yet …

She turns, and the seed of Darkness is born.

This is the time of the rose, blossom and thorn 

– for pouring forth the Gift of Being.

The story of Old tells that on this day 

Beloved and Lover dissolve into the single Song of Ecstasy – that moves the worlds.

Self expands in the bliss of Creativity,

Sun ripens in us. We are the Bread of Life –

we celebrate Her deep Communion and Reciprocity.

If you wish to attend, you may email me (Glenys) for an invitation and details

PaGaian Cosmology blogs for Summer Solstice/Litha

PaGaian Cosmology blogs for Winter Solstice/Yule

PaGaian Cosmology Meditations CDs may be helpful in supporting and nurturing a process of individual or group participation in the seasonal transitions.

Summer Solstice or Winter Solstice preparation e-notes, images and meditations are offered: Celebrating PaGaian Cosmology On-Line .

Some Summer and Winter Solstice story may be found in Appendix F of PaGaian Cosmology, or if you have a paper version of the book there is an Index for references throughout. These Seasonal Moments in relationship to the whole Wheel of the Year may be found in Chapter 5, and ritual scripts are offered in Chapter 7 – the on-line versions are usually a bit different from the paper versions, as they evolve.

There is a PaGaian Cosmology Facebook group where all members may initiate discussion and/or respond, and also a Pagaian Cosmology Facebook Page … which you are welcome to “Like”.

NOTES:

[1] This is a quote from The Universe Story by Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, p.77, and I discuss it in relationship to PaGaian Cosmology chapter 4, p.116 in particular.

[2] for more on this term see PaGaian Cosmology Chapter 8, p. 256.

[3] Thomas Berry calls the seasonal transition moments “moments of grace” and I have adopted the term “Seasonal Moments” for speaking of the Sabbats of Earth tradition

[4] As Starhawk describes Summer Solstice, The Spiral Dance p. 244.

[5] so often in the christianizing of this Seasonal Moment it is the Child that is focussed on, and the Womb of All is given scant recognition: the Mother’s gaze is usually upon the Child, no longer holding Her own integrity.