THE OFFICIAL

CASSANDRA EASON

WEBSITE

Alban Arthuran (the light of Arthur)

This is the  Mid winter Solstice, from sunset for three days around December 21 according to the Astronomical calendar, the rebirth of light and hope, resolving and leaving behind old issues.

Animal: bull

Tree: holly

Herbs and incense: bay, cedar, feverfew, holly, juniper, pine and rosemary.

Candle colours: white, scarlet, gold

Crystals: deep green stones such as aventurine, bloodstone, or amazonite.

Symbols: evergreen boughs especially pine or fir, a circle of alternate red and gold or white candles, small logs of wood especially oak and ash found naturally, as a focus for faith that tomorrow is another day and for inner vision.

Mid Winter Solstice rituals are for removing unwanted influences and redundant phases, for home and long -term money plans and for older members of the family.

Agricultural significance

Entering the coldest part of the year, but with the knowledge that the shortest day has passed, any festival now is a statement of belief that there will be plenty of food to last the winter and Spring will return. The Sun at its southernmost point seems as though it was disappearing beneath the horizon during the daytime, but the following day it is higher in the sky and thus reborn.

Folk/magical significance

Perhaps the oldest of the festivals, dating from when early humans lit fires from yule logs, and hung up evergreen boughs, decorated with torches or tallow tapers to lend power to the Sun. By these gestures it was hoped the sun  would not die and that the greenery would return to the trees. In other lands, too, the Sun God, for example the Persian Mithras whose worship spread throughout the Roman Empire and Christ were mythologically if not historically were born/reborn at this time.

Ritual significance

The light of Arthur indicates the rebirth of the Sun King as the divine child, the Mabon; thus in ritual all lights are extinguished at dusk; there is a moment of pure faith and then lanterns relit from a single flint.

Deity forms: All Sun Kings, especially Llew in Wales and Lugh in Ireland, the Mabon, the Divine child.

Personal Activities

• As the Solstice night draws in, light a dark candle and in it burn threads or herbs to represent all you need to leave behind; at sunset light a gold candle from it, using a taper and then extinguish the dark candle. If you are working with friends or family, they can in turn light their candles from the Solstice candle, making wishes for the future

• Leave the Christmas shopping and on the day of the Solstice, go out into the countryside or a local urban woodland and gather evergreen boughs with friends and family; find or buy sprigs of holly, ivy and mistletoe to represent the potential of new life. Make this also the occasion you put up and decorate your Solstice/Christmas tree. As you do so sing some of the old songs with pagan overtones, such as the Holly And The Ivy, the Cherry Tree Carol and Green Grow the Rushes.

•  As darkness falls create a small fire outdoors or in a tiny metal pot and burn sprigs of yew, oak, holly, as well as pine needles and rosemary. In this way you are showing your faith that the sun will shine again-and ritually assisting it to regain power.. As you toss on each fragrant handful, name someone who cannot be with you and those causes dear to your heart that will benefit from the renewed power of the sun.

• On Solstice night, fill a metal bowl with water and either alone or with friends or family in the age-old tradition take it in turns to drip wax from the Christmas candles on to the surface of the water. You will gain an image as the liquid was falls on the surface and a second more permanent image as the wax sets. The first will indicate an area that will bear fruit over the coming days and the second ways in which you can maximise the energies of the ascending light. Wash out the bowl between readings

• From clay create your own santons. These are tiny French nativity-type figures that include tiny statues of local characters and family members. The scene can be adapted to the rebirth of the Sun/Goddess myths; paint them and set them around your tree or in a cave made from rocks and crystals.

TOP