Winter solstice is a hotly debated subject from culture to culture and spiritual circle to circle. Admittedly it is probably the most widely celebrated event globally, and has retained its traditions through time. If I let myself, I can get very annoyed at the lack of absolute with this event given how important it seems to be across all world cultures and traditions. But there is a common denominator is that the handful of days where the Sun seems to be at a standstill are the most prominent moments. The solstice this year, in this regard, happens on the 21st of December, the standstill ending the 24th and the rebirth of the Sun the 25th. I don't think I have to lay that one out for you in regards to the timing of cultural holidays.
I have always loved Yule as the traditional 12 days of Christmas origins as it seems to be the one that harnesses the length of what I imagine Winter Solstice used to be in times when we understood the stars and the beings and the consciousness evolving around these times in our faraway dream called Earth. But even when that starts is a debate. In all my time, searching for the "one true solstice" I have come back to looking at the stars and the lunar year as my basis of celebration. Even then I find that it is filled with new awareness each year and I am ever refining my insight. At the end of the day, I arrive back to the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, as the core of our Wheel, and settle intently on the two week perioud between the new moon and full moon for my solstice activities. Because the truth is that, with the precession, we are never going to have fixed constellations/transits for these holidays. That's the beautiful part. Eventually our (sidereal/living sky) Sun will not be in Sagittarius for the Solstice day, it will be in Scorpio (if you want my opinion on how to read the sky, I have a post speaking against Tropical. But I have yet to write about why I settled ultimately on the Fagan Allen western sidereal system).
Anyway, here's my run down on this, so you can get with the energy of the solstice astronomical energy as the one thing everyone can agree upon.
December 21, 2023 (Winter Solstice start)
Sagittarius 04 degrees
What I love about the energy of this degree point is that it perfectly weaves into our Mercury retrograde. Which if you are looking at my luminary solstice tradition, also fits into the pique of the full moon, something that would drive the monthly timing of this solstice, too, with it being in Gemini. This degree point talks about wisdom that has to be expressed from within. This isn't wisdom you read about, but the kind that comes from living your life or that emits itself through the infinite parts of our Soul (like kenning or intuitive or claircognizance). And it's about sharing it whether 100 or 0 people are listening. It's about allowing yourself to walk into the vulnerability of soul bearing passion and allowing yourself to bear witness to its inspiring vibrations without needing to have an outcome or expectation. It's simply for the sake of bearing your soul for the fulfillment and exaltation is creates for you. The cherry on top is however it affects what is blessed enough to be in witness of that.
Bonus: We will be in the last moments of a first quarter energy in the lunar cycle, the active/creative/growing period of the lunation. The theme of this first quarter is roughly the need to do what's best for you, whether it makes sense or not, and regardless of whether or not it makes sense to others and their expectations of you. (fun fact: I'm typing this at 11:11 am).
December 25, 2023: The Sun's Rebirth
Sagittarius 08 degrees
With a baby sun, we find our light new, fragile, vulnerable and on its ascent to kingdom, climbing its way through the darkness. Our will, with this degree as an initiation, is to understand that everyone has an opinion, including ourselves. I have always thought the worst of Sagittarius energy is the know-it-all, dogmatic energy, even if I understand why it exists. We are being asked to exercise our flexibility and to embrace change as an adventure through this optimistic, mutable sign. How good are you at sustaining your optimism in the face of opposition, misunderstanding, disagreement, and skepticism? Do you lose your shine or do you continue on, glowing for the ships that are looking for your safe haven of inspiration and excitement?
We have to ask how this is the development of a new birth within us out of the void/dark space of inward searching from just a few days ago. How is it connected to this passion you breathed into the physical world and where is it pointing you in the second half of the year where we all climb out of the darkness with the Sun?
Bonus: The next day is our full moon in Gemini which gives vibes of reconnecting us to our Soul archetype and consciousness. Perhaps this has been the trajectory all along ;) Is your Soul's expression worth the effort to sustain your light in the darkness? Or will the wild beasts eat you up? Will you howl at the moon and ride your own wildness? Or will it be hunted and slayed by your inner limitations, held expectations from others, and the opposition of society's civilized traditions? Will you embrace your own revolutionary emanance, will you seek it out?
Conclusion: Speak what is upon your heart, speak with unaltered passion, and the only expectation you need have is the fulfillment it brings you to be so unabashedly yourself in a moment the Soul's life force washes over you. The rest will click into place on its own.
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