Observing the Winter Solstice
From The Ramparts
Junious Ricardo Stanton
Observing
the Winter Solstice
"At the December solstice, Earth is positioned in
its orbit so that the sun stays below the north pole horizon. As seen from
23-and-a-half degrees south of the equator, at the imaginary line encircling
the globe known as the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun shines directly overhead at
noon. This is as far south as the sun ever gets. All locations south of the
equator have day lengths greater than 12 hours at the December solstice.
Meanwhile, all locations north of the equator have day lengths less than 12 hours."
http://earthsky.org/?p=2951
Our ancient ancestors observed all of nature about
themselves; but especially the skies, noting the weather, the stars and the seeming
changes of the sun, which they saw as the most powerful object in the sky, the
provider of light and warmth. This December 21 at 10:28 Central Time in the
Northern Hemisphere we will experience the Winter
Solstice. This occurs due to the earth's axis tilt, as a result the days
will be shorter and the nights longer then after two days, the days will become
increasingly longer until we move into the Spring and Summer. During this
period you will see later dawns and early sunsets. Meanwhile in the Southern
Hemisphere the exact opposite is happening, the days are getting longer
Because of the influence of the Sun and the awe in which
ancient man held for the heavens, many tribes and cultures created
celebrations, festivals and rituals to mark the various phases of the Sun as
the earth traveled around it. They were keenly aware of the Equinoxes when the
solar energy and sunlight were the same for both hemispheres and many used
these events to establish calendars to mark the consistent changes they
observed in the heavens and here on earth. To be honest the ancients did not
worship the sun or moon per se, they observed them because for them these two
objects offered a sense of constancy, regularity and rhythm that helped them plan
and orient their daily lives.
Later
unscrupulous megalomaniacal leaders used this natural phenomenon to manipulate
the masses and created religious observations and festivals around the changes
they experienced and observed due to the earth's rotation and the positioning
of the sun (and the phases of the moon) but placed themselves in positions of
power and authority over the people. Ceremonies, myths and fables were created
that explained to some degree the solstice occurrence.
Much of what we
see around this time: the placing of lights around the houses, the looking
towards the heavens and myths about avatars and saviors being born around this
time, dying and resurrected are actually based upon the Winter and Spring solstices
and equinoxes.
The ancients had a saying "As above so below" the
principle or law of correspondence, the unity of all creation and they attempted
to order their societies and their lives in accordance to DEVINE ORDER and pay
attention to the various energies and forces they experienced in their lives. To
them the Sun was merely a symbol, an icon and a representation of the unseen
energy that permeated and sustained all creation.
Today too often we take a dim view of the ancients
because we do not understand their worldview, we are disconnected from what
they believed or experienced. Their narratives are told by invaders who disdained
the people and their culture or in the case of the more advanced cultures the
invaders encountered, they were in awe and envy of what the indigenous people
accomplished. The invaders either subsequently took undue credit for what the
indigenous people did (as in the case of Arab interlopers in Kemet) or they
suppressed the truth those people were Black.
One of the things we can do to acknowledge the solstice
and put some personal significance and
importance to it, is to do the research, see it with an open, unbiased mind, be
appreciative of what our ancient ancestors recognized and understood and take time
to give thanks for them.
I've heard people
recommend fasting and cleansing during the solstice, abstaining from eating for
a brief period of time twenty four hours or so. Physical fasting is very beneficial
for you but so is mental fasting. During a mental fast you abstain from ideas,
images, thoughts and the resulting feelings that are not positive or healthy. Think healthy thoughts, create images of peace
and empathy within yourself, envision yourself as healthy and prosperous,
strive to develop an inner serenity and spirit. Once you are successful doing
this during the solstice or equinoxes, you can do it randomly on a more regular
basis. Once you are able to do this consistently you will notice a positive
change in your life, maybe not in all your circumstances but in how you deal
with life, people and circumstances. Sometimes we need an external event to simulate
an internal transformation,the Winter Solstice is as good a time as any.
-30-
posted by Junious Ricardo Stanton @ 8:58 AM
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