Temple of the Goddess


December 21, 2006 Solstice Greetings

Winter Solstice (December 21)

Winter Solstice, or Yule, is the night of longest dark, the point of deepest night and winter before the returning of new life. . .the rebirth of the sun. This time of year signifies enlightenment, when the light is reborn within the womb of darkness. It is the time of the turning sun.

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Blessings from the Winter Snow Goddess

This is the time of tension between dying and birth.
The place of solitude where three dreams cross
Between blue rocks
But when the voices shaken from the yew-tree drift away
Let the other yew be shaken and reply.

Blessed sister, holy mother, Spirit of the fountain,
Spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in [Your] will
And even among these rocks,
Sister, Mother
And Spirit of the river, Spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated
And let my cry come unto Thee. – T. S. Eliot

Snow Goddess Sculpture by the women of the Bodnar-Sutton clan.

"Plants die after producing their seeds, which are buried in the ground, storing precious energy. During the darkest days of winter, these seeds begin to germinate, thus completing Nature's cycle. So, too, this dark night of the soul will produce new growth in time. At no other moment are you more deeply in touch with your will to survive. The darkness of night can be terrifying, but it can also bring blessed sleep and relief from the day's troubles. Perhaps the most peaceful time of life is experienced in the darkness of the womb as life's potential begins to take form. The winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, brings hope and the return of the Sun's life. Likewise, your darkest moments hold the power of healing. Conserve your energies. Sink deep into your inner Self to find that seed of new life." (M.E. Warlick)

WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL

Within the dark, winter womb of Mother Earth rest many seeds awaiting the Turning of the Sun to coax them into the light. So, too, within each of us are countless "Seeds of Potentialities" awaiting the warm Sun of our own Self-Love to bring them to the surface of our consciousness, and into the world as the living fruit of our lives.

To enact this ritual you need one tangerine or orange that has seeds. Find a quiet time and place where you will be undisturbed. You may light a candle, burn incense, play music, whatever you wish to do to "create sacred space." Begin by looking back at 2006. What was the year like for you? What good things came to you? What lessons did you learn? What did you accomplish? (Remember, there are no small accomplishments.) Reflect on all areas of your life. Give thanks to the Divine, your guides, whomever you include as an ally in your life process, for their support in the past year. Then take a deep, heartfelt moment to honor yourself for the "Living Light" that you are.

Hold the orange, or tangerine, to your heart and think about the seeds lying dormant inside the fruit. Begin to contemplate the Seeds inside you that want to come to Life in the coming year. What do you want to do . . . create . . . accomplish in 2007? Where do you want to be a year from now, and what must you do to get there? Think about all aspects of your life, and trust that Spirit will spark and guide you on your path.

Peel the fruit. While the peelings drop away, imagine them as any, and all obstacles, limitations and fears holding you back. As you let the pieces of rind fall away, know that they have protected and served you . . .until now. Thank them and release them.

While eating the fruit, visualize the sweet juice and pulp as the inner love, strength, and boundless resources you have inside you. As you discover the seeds within the fruit, take a moment to envision, and name, what each "Seed of Potentiality" will represent in your life in the coming year. Set the seeds aside until you have finished the entire fruit. Then take all the seeds into your hands. These represent your goals, wishes and dreams for 2007. Endow them with your life essence by breathing into them, singing or sounding into them, dancing with them, or anointing them with your kisses or tears. Let Spirit guide you in this energy-exchange. (You might want to write about your wishes, dreams and goals in a journal, as well.)

Finally, offer your Life-Seeds back to Mother Earth, or put them in a sacred space until you are ready to give them to Her for safe-keeping. When it feels appropriate for you, bury the seeds with prayer, thankfulness and a commitment to yourself to do all that is necessary to grow these "Seeds-of-Life" into their complete form. Trust that you have all the resources you need to nurture your goals, wishes and dreams into full manifestation.