Christmas and The Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurs when the sun descends to its lowest point in the sky and is the shortest day of the year. “Solstice” literally means to “stand still”. At the winter solstice, the sun moves into the astrological sign of Capricorn. Here marks the beginning of winter. For those of us in the northern climates, the snow begins to fall and cover the countryside. Of course this time period is celebrated throughout the West as Christmas. The majority of Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at this time of year. Prior to Christianity, the Pagans celebrated the Winter Solstice. The Pagans held that this time of year was sacred as it was the rebirth of the sun or light force. It is the time when the light or day force begins to grow again. There is an interesting correspondence between the Winter Solstice and the birth of Christ. Paramhansa Yogananda, who was one of the first Yogis to bring Yoga to the West, held that Christ Consciousness was something that was inherent in all people. It is a level of consciousness that everyone has the capacity to realize. Christ Consciousness is that inner light of realization that Jesus brought to fruition within himself. Through yogic practices and spiritual development, we all have the capacity to realize the Christ Consciousness. Jesus is not the only Son of God, we are all Sons of God. Jesus said it himself, “Do ye not know that ye are Gods”.

The Winter Solstice is the darkest time of the year. It is also when the seeds of light and renewal are born. It is the time of year when the sun is resurrected and begins to rise again. For most Yogis this is the real meaning of Christmas. It is the celebration of the birth of the inner light of Self-Realization.

There are many interesting rituals that are done at the Winter Solstice. The majority of them have their roots in the Pagan tradition. Most everyone is familiar with the Christmas tree. I have enjoyed this ritual since childhood and loved the whole act of going out in selecting a proper Christmas tree and decorating it with special care. Now this practice originated from an old Pagan tradition where pine trees were brought into the house to dispel evil spirits and as a celebration of the life force that continues through the depth of winter. The symbolism of the Christmas tree is very interesting. From an astrological perspective, trees are ruled by the planet Saturn. Saturn is also the planetary ruler of Capricorn which is the sign that the sun enters during this time of year. One of the ways to get in touch with the natural energy of this time of year is to bring something into your household related to the energy of Saturn. Trees are ruled by Saturn and bringing a tree into your house helps you tune into the energy of the season. It was also under a Bodhi tree that Buddha experienced enlightenment.

During this current age of the Kali Yuga, I think our culture has lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. It has become very materialistic with an emphasis on buying and receiving gifts. I don’t think there is anything wrong with giving and receiving presents, but when it becomes the focal point then the spiritual meaning is lost. The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a great story for the real meaning of Christmas. I think everyone I know as seen this movie many times but I watch it every year as a great reminder to what is really important. In a nutshell, Scrooge is portrayed as a stingy, self-centered person who is mired in the depths of materialism. His only concern is for himself and monetary achievement. He is then visited by three spirits of the past, present and future. He undergoes a spiritual awakening and self-realization. He comes to understand the true meaning of Christmas and carries it in his heart everyday. Like Scrooge, I find it very easy to get caught up in materialism and past karma. There are bills to pay, children to support, and jobs to take care of in order to make a living. Things are not easy. But it is important to remember our spiritual center because that is where all nourishment and fulfillment ultimately comes from.

This time of year is celebrated by the Hermetic Yogi as a Wish Festival. Like the Wish Festival celebrated at the Summer Solstice, we again plant seeds or wishes that we hope for fruition as the Sun rises again. Many people celebrate by placing their wishes upon their Christmas tree with the prayer of peace and goodwill for all humankind.

Ritual to the Spirit of Water

On November 7th, the Sun will enter 15 degrees of Scorpio. This is the midway point between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. At this time of the year, nature begins to change as plants wither, the trees lose their leaves and all the colors of the spring and summer fade away. For nature it is a time of death and decay.

The astrological sign of Scorpio is symbolized by the scorpion, the eagle and the phoenix. The scorpion represents our lower nature and corresponds with our basic instincts for survival, self-preservation and procreation. The scorpion is well known for its ability to survive in the harshest of conditions. The eagle or hawk symbolizes our higher nature. It is that force which pushes us beyond our own ego boundaries to seek higher levels of consciousness and truth. The hawk sees things from a higher perspective than the scorpion on the ground. The phoenix represents the highest aspect of Scorpio. The phoenix is the mythical bird that dies and rises from its own ashes. It is that force which brings about self-sacrifice and the impetus to sacrifice one’s self for other people and one’s ideals. The phoenix also represents resurrection after death. Our spirit is reborn following the death of the physical body to a higher state of consciousness and reality. The sign of Scorpio teaches us that nothing ever really dies. It just changes forms or undergoes trans(form)ation. When we die our physical body dissolves back into the earth, but our consciousness continues on in another form and in another dimension. The majority of the world’s religions espouse the belief of life after death. And the majority of people believe in life after death whether they are religious or not. The resurrection of Jesus was something that not only Christ did, but what we will all do. Like the rose that dies after the fall and returns in the spring, so shall we be reborn after our physical bodies wither away and be reborn anew. This is the lesson of the phoenix.

The Pagans celebrate this time period as Samhain or the “Day of the Dead”. It is considered a time when the veil between worlds is thin and contact can be made with those people that have passed on. We also celebrate this time period as Halloween where little children dress up as ghosts and goblins. Many people participate in the custom of carving pumpkins to make “jack-o-lanterns”. I really enjoy this little ritual of finding the right pumpkin and then carving it to be lit at night for all to see. Symbolically it is very interesting as it represents bringing light into the darkness and bringing the light of the consciousness to the mysteries of our unconsciousness.
The Hermetic ritual that is done at this time of year is “The Petition to the Spirit of Water”. The ritual consists of preparing a scroll and writing a prayer or petition to the spirit of the water element for protection, good health and happyness. It can be protection from negativity, unseen or hostile forces, or whatever you may need protection from. It is also a good ritual to seek protection from fears and anxieties that may be hampering your well-being. Once you have prepared your scroll, you should than find a stone or a rock. Roll up your scroll and tie it to the rock with some string or ribbon. Then you should find a pond or a river where you will toss your scroll with the rock into the water. You can say a brief prayer before tossing your scroll into the water. The spirit of the water element will then bring your petition to fruition. I really enjoy this ritual. I look forward every year to finding a secluded river or pond where I can complete this ritual with the water element. From a yogic perspective, this ritual corresponds with the Swadisthana chakra center and activates this energy to help in your spiritual practices and development.

For further information, please see my book, Yoga and The Art of Astral Projection.