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| Caracal |
on Sun 21 Dec 08, 7:51 AM to Caracal's blog.
In just a few minutes, the winter solstice sunrise will be upon us on the British east coast, the original midwinter celebration dating back thousands of years.
For me the solstices (sun standing still) and equinoxes (equal night) are times for review of the previous quarter year. I try to get to an outdoor space, whether in rain or shine, alone or in company and take some time to reattune with air, earth, water and fire. The last equinox was cold, cloudy and breezy, midsummer solstice was marred by torrential rain with not a glimpse of sunshine, but this solstice looks to be dry, relatively warm, with clear skies so I will be able see the rising sun coming from the east.
The celebration of midwinter was thought to be the most important event in the Neolithic era, the time when the great megalithic structures were built by our agriculturist forebears, Stonehenge, Avebury, Arbor Low and so many more, still relics of past religions and symbolic of those highly complex societies. I had the great pleasure to visit Newgrange in the Irish Boyne Valley several years back and saw the recreation of the sun rising through the viewing box that captured the rays of the rising sun on midwinter solstice, casting bright rays to the back of the dark chambers. It is thought that the ceremony that must have taken place was to gather up the souls of the dead and to take them on. Many hundreds still gather there on this day to celebrate the turning of the year and to welcome the start of longer days. The whole experience is filmed from the interior of Newgrange and goes out on a live broadcast this morning from 830, with the solstice sunrise there at 858. Newgrange was built over 5000 years ago, vastly predating Stonehenge and the Pyramids. It anyone wants to watch it live, I have linked below. http://www.servecast.com/opw/211208/index.html
I use the solstice and equinox in a modern way, to reflect on what was good in the previous quarter, to pick out and carry forward the positive with the rising of the sun, to leave behind the negative by gathering the bad memories, casting them onto a metaphorical pyre, turning them to ashes for scattering to the four winds. This last quarter has been mixed for me, disappointingly dark in places but also with some shining beams of happiness, hope and a bright future so good and bad to balance each other as always.
A time to reflect on what you leave behind on this death of the old year and what you would carry forward to the new.
xx
Edited Sun 21 Dec 08, 1:35 PM by Caracal
| 21 Dec 08, 11:23 AM lush_london UK(WC), 6 yrs |
Obviously more clouds in London than where you live - I was up on the flat roof of my block of flats looking out, should have gone up to Hampstead Heath or somewhere P.S. Billy Bragg playing the Big Session in June xx | |
| 21 Dec 08, 11:49 AM glamourpuss UK(CF), 5 yrs |
I'll be writing a list later and burning it. I always enjoy this time of year, it's like a reset. Even the stars look brighter tonight, Nothing's impossible | |
| 21 Dec 08, 12:43 PM Caracal UK(SS), 5 yrs      |
The skies were breaking over the North Sea as I got to the beach, the pink flushed clouds were quite beautiful and the wind was low enough to me to chuck a few whips around as well. It is glorious now, must get out for another whip sess before sunset.
Oooh, do keep me informed although goodness only knows which county I will be working in by then...hopefully I'll still be local although one can never tell these things. Is he with The Imagined Village or solo?
It's a thin line, between love and hurt. Edited 21 Dec 08, 12:44 PM by Caracal | |
| 21 Dec 08, 4:17 PM lush_london UK(WC), 6 yrs |
Big Session is the Oysterband's festival in Leicester and I think BB is playing solo on the Saturday night. No new dates I can find for Imagined Village who are just amazing! Levellers just announced they are touring with support from Hobo Jones in April if you are interested too! Edited 21 Dec 08, 4:18 PM by lush_london |
