Winter solstice: Yule!

Wow isn't it dark this morning.  Hardly surprising seeing as it is the winter solstice tomorrow morning, 11.12am in the northern hemisphere.  Sadly this wonderful shift in the positioning of the sun, meaning that the days get longer once again, is over shadowed a little by all the talk of the end of the world.

As I have commented time and time again, we have experienced the end of the world (as we know it) this year.  To buy in to all these tales of fear is quite incredible, but a good money spin for all those "end of the world" parties tomorrow evening.

As for the solstice.  Yule.  The two most popular Christian holidays - Easter and Christmas - are also the two most pagan.  This is a celebration of the birth of God - at Yule, the new God comes to earth, bringing hope and light.  This is of course the shortest and darkest day of the year (ideal to stay tucked up in bed or beside the fire!), but it is also the day when the shift towards light and warmth begins - hoorah!!!

In the pagan tradition, Yule is celebrated by bringing holly or evergreen boughs into the house to encourage the growth of life and return of warmth.  This may include a Christmas tree - a Yule tree I am told - decorated with symbols of the sun among other things.  Celebrations include lots of candles to emphasise the return of light.

It is an incredibly exciting time, a real  shift in energy and an increasing return of the light as slowly the days lengthen and the gardens begin changing as Spring approaches.

I shall be celebrating in my own way: a candle and meditation, giving thanks and welcoming the sun again.

As for the end of the world, well we are being washed away, it has not stopped raining for hours, cleansing, more cleaning, see the world is changing.

As for us, well today I have my last Yoga class of the year, which gives me the opportunity to study and focus on my own practice.  I came across Katy Appleton's DVDs in a charity shop recently, wow what a find, her book was the first I ever read and it truly inspired me to practice at home on my own.  her DVD is equally inspiring and is a joy for me to be led by someone else for a change.  Thank you angels for answering my prayers, another teacher has arrived in my life.

So with thanks and much gratitude.  Happy winter solstice everyone, enjoy the shift in energy and the build up to Christmas in the days ahead.

With love,

xxxxx