Celebrating the Winter Solstice

[Front-Ranger]

I am consulting my daughter's book "Celtic Wicca" about the Winter Solstice, or Yule. Having finished the harvest from the fields, farmers turned to the forests at this time of year to make sure enough firewood was harvested.

This is a time for renewal and faith. Set aside some time to be solitary, don't try to socialize all the time. The celebration of Epona, the Celtic horse goddess, is December 18. Call upon her before making journeys, and wear or decorate the tree with a small metal horse charm.

[newyearsday]

Happy Epona Day, Bettermostians!!

I'm sleeping more lately and think it has something to do with the coming of the longest night. If you have any good books to recommend about Celtic or Wiccan Solstice traditions, I'm all ears.

Jenny

[Front-Ranger]

Happy Epona day to you! I'm wearing a little silver horse on a pendant today in honor of her. I have a whole stack of books about the solstice, wicca, and such that I took from my daughter's room yesterday...Will catalogue them here soon as I get home tonight.

[delalluvia]

Saturnalia started Sunday, the ancient Roman solstice celebration.  They decorated trees, gave gifts, burned candles, partied hard and for a brief time 'turned the world upside down'.

Best I can do is decorate my place with sun ornaments, red and gold decorations in the evergreen swags, bring out my statue of Saturn with his bags of seeds and other symbols of fertility and richness (a modified earthy Santa Claus stands in amazingly well) burn candles, wear bright colors every day and give friends the traditional gifts of silver and candles (which represent the rebirth of the sun).

I'd be having more cocktails too, if I wasn't feeling so under the weather.   

Io! Satvrnalia!

[newyearsday]

Saturnalia started Sunday, the ancient Roman solstice celebration.  They decorated trees, gave gifts, burned candles, partied hard and for a brief time 'turned the world upside down'.

Best I can do is decorate my place with sun ornaments, red and gold decorations in the evergreen swags, bring out my statue of Saturn with his bags of seeds and other symbols of fertility and richness (a modified earthy Santa Claus stands in amazingly well) burn candles, wear bright colors every day and give friends the traditional gifts of silver and candles (which represent the rebirth of the sun).

I'd be having more cocktails too, if I wasn't feeling so under the weather.   


Io! Satvrnalia!

Ahh, a woman who sounds like she knows what she's talking about! (I've admired your sig line for weeks, too). Maybe we should start a little Brokeback sect for pagans or wiccans or some such thing.)

Lee, have you got that list ready yet?? I'm looking forward to your recommendations.

J

[Front-Ranger]

Thanks to a snowstorm in the Rockies, I have time to work on this now. The first book I would like to mention is the prettiest book I ever did see. It's called The Celtic Book of Living and Dying, by Juliette Wood. Published by Sterling, it is only $13 US despite the lavish illustrations. Not very scholarly though, but it would be great in combination with other books. I might try scanning an illustration or two (will try to have this done before the solstice occurs!)

There is also a book called Wicca Candle Magick by Gerina Dunwich.

[delalluvia]

Thanks to a snowstorm in the Rockies, I have time to work on this now. The first book I would like to mention is the prettiest book I ever did see. It's called The Celtic Book of Living and Dying, by Juliette Wood. Published by Sterling, it is only $13 US despite the lavish illustrations. Not very scholarly though, but it would be great in combination with other books.

What is the book about?  I've never read any of the living and dying guides (the one I've seen the most is The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over by Starhawk and M. Macha NightMare)  I imagine they are like the Egyptian Book of the Dead.  The reason I ask is that a friend of mine is at a crossroads, a biopsy scheduled for next week.  She is a Celtic Wiccan and I want to give her some solace, but IMO the book title is inauspicious in conjunction with the Solstice, though apparently the Egyptians didn't think so.

I might try scanning an illustration or two (will try to have this done before the solstice occurs!)

  Please do, I'd love to see them.

[delalluvia]

Ahh, a woman who sounds like she knows what she's talking about! (I've admired your sig line for weeks, too). 

 

   Thanks! 

Maybe we should start a little Brokeback sect for pagans or wiccans or some such thing.)

I'm all for talking sects.   

[newyearsday]

Happy Winter Solstice to All!


Exact time for the Solstice is 7:22 pm Eastern Standard time tonight, or 12:22 am Greenwich Mean Time (in England)

I'll be doing my private thing at 7:22 but would love to meet with any like-minded souls in the chat room later if I have finished my gift-preparations....


  Here comes the sun!!

[Front-Ranger]

Thanks, Jenny. I will try to join you!

I recently listened to a book by Robert Thurman about the Tibetan Book of the Dead and posted about it here:

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=710.0

I will also review the Celtic Book of Living and Dying here shortly.