hristmas is here: celebrations and lights… there are a lot of lights! Have you ever thought about the real meaning of Christmas and what all we celebrate besides religion?
All is about the Winter Solstice: some of you have heard me in my last class taking about it.
It is the shortest day of the year (in the North Hemisphere around December the 21st), being the sun at its lowest and weakest. It is an important energetic moment for us because we get into a period when darkness is extreme and, in addition of the cold weather, Winter really affects to our being both physically and emotionally.
Winter Solstice is the longest night, the moment darkness is longer than light. But at the same time it is the turning point when days start to be longer and longer until Summer Solstice. So light is coming back to our lives.
This light is a symbol of a new life cycle starting and remind us that we can also start again and that a new period of light will bring us more opportunities.
That is why light is have been celebrating this time of the year in many different cultures and religions for thousands of years. I’m sure more than one will be very familiar to you!
In pagan Scandinavia the winter festival was the Yule, celebrated by burning the hearth fires of the magically significant Yule log.
Fire is quite used in this period. Fire is a transforming element and there is a clear symbology of change in these days as season is changing and a cycle (and a year) is coming to an end so we need a brand new start full of good resolutions and leaving behind (burning) all that we don’t want with us anymore.
In the Celtic Druid culture the Winter Solstice was celebrated by hanging sacred mistletoe over a doorway or in a room to offer goodwill to visitors.
Germanic tribes decorated a pine or fir tree with candles and tokens.
The Inca held midwinter ceremonies at temples that served as astronomical observatories like Machu Pichu.
Romans celebrated this event with Saturnalia, a festival of merrymaking, and decorating their homes and temples with holly and evergreens. Also was popular the exchange of small gifts thought to bring luck on the recipient.
In the fourth century AD, Christian authorities in Rome attempted to eliminate the pagan festivities by adopting December 25th as Christ’s birthday. And this is not random as it is also a celebration of light as God sent his son to save us from our sins, path from darkness to the light. It is the symbol of a new rebirth for humanity. And how people could get to newborn Jesus? Following a star (Astronomy).
The Winter Solstice day should be a day of calm, balance and reflection, so meditation is more than recommended because it helps to compensate the change of seasons, due to the power of the human being to have influence over the nature on earth when meditating.
If you what to do some Yoga these days, think about anything taking you from darkness to light is great. Look for energy in your daily practice. Or anything that makes you feel good as chanting or dancing! These cold and short days make us feel a bit low and blue so we must cheer ourselves up!
Sun salutation is a nice vinyasa honouring the light as well as Surya (Sun) pranayama (breathing through the right nostril), or even Surya kriya. This will give you energy and good mood to start the day.
You can also do the Winter Solstice Meditation: For the Earth energy, use Isht Sodhana Mantra:
“Dhartee Hai, Akasha Hai, Guru Ram Das Hai.”
It connects the earth and the vastness of the ether and projects it from the heart.
It is done with visualization: As you chant “Dhartee Hai” visualize a gray earthy tone from the navel expanding on both sides down to the whole Earth and hold. As you chant “Akasha Hai” visualize from the eye brows and brow point up a vast blue sky expanding into the ethers and hold. Ad you chant “Guru Ram Das Hai” visualize from the heart center a circular huge bright white light expanding out in all directions encompassing everything in this light.
It makes you present, calls on your highest spirit, keeps you humble and effective on your new ventures, and attracts opportunities for prosperity.
Chant this mantra for 11 minutes or 31 minutes in easy pose, hands in gyan mudra, eyes open 1/10th or closed.
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