[Darkimbolc]

To all the Pagans, Heathens, Polytheists, Eclectics, Traditionalists and Goddess Worshippers:

Blessed Solstice!


Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to their faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's all right
It's all right

[Anita]

Was trying to read a dead-tree book by the light pouring in from the window, and before 5pm, the light had dimmed to the point that I could no longer read. Mentioned it to SO and he reminded me of the solstice.

I will give you one guess as to what day Mithra's birth was celebrated on. Dec. 25. "Why Dec. 25?" you might ask. Roman pagans noted that the sunlight began to increase after Dec. 22, when they believed the sun god had died, but after three days he was believed to have risen from the dead. Does that sound familiar?

Above quote from here. (http://www.iowastatedaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/12/08/41b689a9c9804?template=pda)

[nanna]

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=1215&id=3284


Merry Solstice...er...Happy Yule...

By Gary R Varner
Saturday, December 04, 2004




No Matter What the Holiday is Called, The Message is the Same

(photo: The ancient Egyptian Holy Family--the goddess Isis and baby Horus. The Christians would model future depictions of Mary and Jesus after this sculpture. British Museum, photo by Gary R. Varner)


At times it’s rather difficult to mix and match present day religious holiday observances and those of the Pagan past. Of course we do it often at Easter (Ostara or Eostre—named for a Saxon Goddess of spring), Halloween (Samhain), and Christmas (Yule) among others…but it is sometimes a discordant mixture. This is to be expected as the years progress and people begin to lose the specifics behind each holiday.

Certainly Christmas is one of the most important celebrations of the Christian world…and in other cultures where the commercial appeal has taken hold. This time of the Winter Solstice is a time that is also one of the most important among Pagans.

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th not because that was the birth date of Jesus, but because it was the Winter Solstice and a major Pagan holiday. The Church found that by turning Pagan observances into Christian ones they could assimilate the population much more easily. It is more likely that Jesus was born in the spring time. The birth of Jesus was obviously not very important to the early Christians as evidence indicates that the earliest observance wasn’t until 336 C.E. December 25th was the date of the birth of the Persian saviour-god Mithras. The "cult"(1) of Mithras originated around 600 years B.C.E and became very popular with Roman armies who took the religion back to Rome. Mithraism was so popular that many of the "traditional" aspects of Christianity originated in the worship of Mithras and for sometime Mithraism vied with Christianity as the predominate religion.

Mithras was born to a virgin mother, his birth (in a cave similar to the Christian manger setting) was attended by shepherds, he was the son of the God of Light, the Sun, he did not die but was believed to have ascended to heaven and will return at the end of the world to dispense final judgment and to raise the dead. The feast day of Mithras was called Sun-Day. It should be noted that Constantine, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, was a follower of Mithras and it was Constantine who declared Christianity as the official State religion.

Other Saviour Gods born around December 25th were the ancient Egyptian god of resurrection, Osiris the son of the Gods Geb and Nut, and Attis of Phrygia, the son of the virgin Nana, who was the Goddess Inanna to the Summerians. After Osiris was killed by his jealous brother Set, Isis restored him to life on December 25th—regarded as his second nativity.



(snip)


nanna


"May the radiance of the One Life shine brilliantly upon you all."

['plain o joe']

ah yes the days get longer.... soon Pitchers and Catchers REPORT !!!

[goodwater]

Had myself a small New Fire observance Tuesday evening. Candles, but it's the thought that counts.

[SmartAZ]

Happy non religion specific celebration of the winter solstice!

Now we can start bad mouthing Janus, the two faced god of the new year!