Good Yule ~ Blessed Alban Arthuan ~ Happy Winter Solstice!
Today marks the Longest Night of the Year and the deepest descent of the Sun before the conception of the new year of light.
I love this day for any number of reasons. As a winter-born, I feel naturally more attuned to the deep of winter than the height of summer. And, if I’m honest, experience a certain degree of melancholy on this day knowing that the light will increase from here on out. There is something about the Sun barely hovering over the tree tops as it crosses the sky that resonates for me. While many mark this day as “The Shortest Day,” I prefer the affirmative of The Longest Night. The condensed day brings me a deep appreciation for daylight itself, and there is a profound since of longing and feeling of a closeness to Source in the stillness and silence of Yule.
The Winter Solstice is considered a day outside of time in an Earth-based calendar, which measures a year as “a year and a day.” This measurement of the earth year is 13 moon cycles plus one day, Yule, which sits outside of time. It is on this day outside of time when the conception of the new year of light takes place. The Light sparks in the deep dark womb of Earth. The potency of the fecund dark receives the seed of light and life that will nurture, nourish and grow us in the year to come. All that we will harvest and bring forth begins on the Longest Night.
While many will be out amongst the throngs or at holiday parties on this day, I like to spend the day in a magical and quiet recognition that for this day (and, in fact tomorrow and the next), time stands still if only we will let it, and to remember that even at it’s lowest point, the Sun shows up for us and graces us with the force of life.
“And still, after all this time,
Never once has the Sun said to the Earth,
‘You owe me.’
A love like that can light the sky.”
~Hafiz
Blessings upon blessings to you during this Yuletide season! Thank you for being part of theBOTH& community
Thank you, Abby!! This is truly beautiful.