Happy Winter Solstice, everyone!

The Christians shamelessly stole this traditional celebration from the pagan Celts as part of the attempt to seduce them away from the old ways and, without any historical justification whatever, made it into Christ’s birthday (now thought to have probably been in June!).   The xmas trees and the lights, at a time when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky are all completely pagan ideas, coming form a much older tradition than Christianity.

Astrologically, it is the moment when the sun goes into Capricorn so it occurred exactly at 04.48 this morning. In terms of the shamanic medicine wheel, it is the quarter of the year ruled by the earth energy of the north, when everything returns to the soil to provide the essential nutrients for the spring explosion of new life.  It is not a time for initiative, for drive, but for letting go, allowing the cycle of nature to take its course and align ourselves with that process rather than fighting it.