Winter Solstice 2004 arranged by ---Shining Spider- 2004 I. Creating A Sacred Space A. Smudge Space 1. Priestess and participant smudges space, and passes smudge stick to those waiting outside of the ritual area B. Procession 1. Each participant walks into the circle, sits down, and lights a candle. The Priestess is the last to pass into the space. C. Introductions 1. Names and truths Explanation of the Holiday: The Winter Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere) is the day of the year when the sun is farthest south and the daylight is at its shortest. The declination of the Sun on this winter solstice is known as the tropic of Capricorn (-23° 27'). As the shortest day of the year, this day was honored in many areas by many different names: Yuletide, Alban Arthuan, Shab-e Yalda , Winter Rite or Midwinter. Other faiths during this time of year also work with the same themes of a reborn sun/son and the bringing of light: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa being the most well known. The return of the sun was seen as new hope. Even though it is the first true day of winter, and there were cold months to follow, it was at this time that people shared in feasts and each others company. D. Ground and Center 1. Group meditation E. Call Elements 1. East to North deosil F. Create Space 1. Group meditation II. Calling And Honoring the Divine To call the Goddess** (Aspect Growing Moon) a participant reads: Mother of light We have been cloaked in darkness So that we may rest So that we may heal… And now you give birth to the sun spreading Hope over the coming months and warmth throughout our hearts B. To call the God** (Aspect Born Sun) a participant reads: The days have grown dark; the soil is barren and hard to touch. Tonight we celebrate your return tonight we exalt your warmth. C. To call Spirit *group meditation/calling* D. Honor those who came before *group meditation/calling* E. Myth: Area: Persia (currently Iran) Peoples: Persians/Armenians Time Period: ? Holiday Name: Shab e Cheleh/ Shab-e Yalda The Persians adopted their annual renewal festival from the Babylonians and incorporated the holiday into the rituals of their own Zoroastrian religion. This holiday was called Shab e Cheleh (literally meaning forty nights), and took place forty days before the Persian festival Jashn e Sadeh. The name changed to Shab-e Yalda in recent times, due to an evolving region. The word Yalda (meaning birth) was imported into the Persian language by the Syriac Christians. Because early Christianity's winter festivities were so close to Zoroastrian practices, and various pagan observances of the Winter Solstice the name change makes sense. As the Christian terminology spread into the region, so did other gods and practices of worship. The cult/devotion to Mithras spread from throughout Persia near the same time as the first waves of Christian missionaries. Mithra's myth became tied to the winter solstice, and his myth was similar to that of the Jesus birth story. In Armenian tradition, Mithras was believed to shut himself up in a cave from which he emerged once a year, born anew. The Persians introduced initiates to the mysteries in natural caves, according to Porphyry, the third century neoplatonic philosopher. These cave temples were created in the image of the World Cave that Mithras had created, according to the Persian creation myth. Mithra was believed to be responsible for protecting the light of the early morning (known as Havangah) which tied his worship to the Winter solstice. Side notes on Mythras: In the Avesta, the holy book of the religion of Zarathustra, the god Ahura-Mazda was said to have created Mithras in order to guarantee the authority of contracts and the keeping of promises. The name Mithras was, in fact, the Persian word for 'contract'. The divine duty of Mithras was to ensure general prosperity through good contractual relations between men. It was believed that misfortune would befall the entire land if a contract was ever broken. Mithras was worshipped as guardian of arms, and patron of soldiers and armies. The handshake was developed by those who worshipped him as a token of friendship and as a gesture to show that you were unarmed. When Mithras later became the Roman god of contracts, the handshake gesture was imported throughout the Mediterranean and Europe by Roman soldiers. The Persians called Mithras 'The Mediator' since he was believed to stand between the light of Ahura-Mazda and the darkness of Ahriman. He was said to have 1000 eyes, expressing the conviction that no man could conceal his wrongdoing from the god. Mithras was known as the God of Truth, and Lord of Heavenly Light, and said to have stated "I am a star which goes with thee and shines out of the depths". Ahura-Mazda was said to have created Mithras to be as great and worthy as himself. He would fight the spirits of evil to protect the creations of Ahura-Mazda and cause even Ahriman to tremble. Mithras was seen as the protector of just souls from demons seeking to drag them down to Hell, and the guide of these souls to Paradise. As Lord of the Sky, he took the role of psychopomp, conducting the souls of the righteous dead to paradise. Practices of the holiday: On the winter solstice fires would be burnt all night to ensure the defeat of the forces of Ahriman (evil) and inside the home family and friends gather in a night-long vigil around a low, square table covered with a thick cloth overhanging on all sides. Before refrigeration became commonplace fruit and vegetables were only available in season and the host, usually the oldest in the family, would have carefully saved what fruit they could so everyone could enjoy it. Along with feasts, acts of charity and a number of deities were honored and prayers performed to ensure the total victory of sun that was essential for the protection of winter crops. On this night, the family elder says prayers, thanking God for previous year's blessings, and prays for prosperity in the coming year. Then they cut the melon giving everyone a share symbolizing the removal of sickness and pain from the family. Many meals and snacks are shared this night: nuts to bring prosperity and dishes representing the balance of all season. This feasting is accompanied by story telling and poetry reciting throughout the night, into dawn. One of the themes of the festival was the temporary subversion of order. Masters and servants reversed roles. The king dressed in white would change place with ordinary people. A mock king was crowned and masquerades spilled into the streets. As the old year died, rules of ordinary living were relaxed. This tradition persisted till Sassanian period, and is mentioned by Biruni and others in their recordings of pre-Islamic rituals and festivals. Its origin goes back to the Babylonian New Year celebration. The people believed the first creation was order that came out of chaos. To appreciate and celebrate the first creation they had a festival and all roles were reversed. Disorder and chaos ruled for a while and eventually order was restored and succeeded at the end of the festival. III. Pathwork Meditation*** Close your eyes. Settle your mind. Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale out your mouth. Find your pulse slowing into a deeply soothing beat. Breathe in through your nose again, this time smelling dark earth, and exhale through your mouth feeling the hot air escape into a cold night. The air on your limbs is cool and refreshing, your body feels vital, awake and alive. When your eyes open you see a night's sky full of stars and a moon growing full. The ground ahead of you is icy, cold, and gleaming. Let your eyes survey your surroundings. Notice how the ground looks, and what landscape surrounds you. To your right, you notice the ground rises to a hill. You wonder if perhaps you can better see the surrounding area from this hill, so you walk up it. The climb is much harder than you thought. Your thighs struggle, and your feet slip. You begin to wonder if the potential view is worth all of this exertion. Despite the worries, the struggle, and self doubt, you make it to the top of the hill. What do you see? Let yourself sit there, feel your breath steady, your body relax. The black of night gradually becomes a gray-ish blue, and to the east, the sun begins to peak over the hill. Feel its warmth heal you. When you are ready, close your eyes. Settle your mind. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. The air is warm on your skin, there is light against your eyelids, and you hear the subtle sounds of this room. Feel your physical body. When you area ready, open your eyes. IV. Spell-work - A. Raising Energy- Each participant kneels…as the chant grows we let our bodies begin to stand upright, raising our energy. Chant: Our Lady White Dark And Still The Winter Night pale And Cold, Our Lady White Watching O'er the Sleeping Earth Hear Us Call Your Child To Birth V. Thanking A. Share in food B. Thank the god/dess C. Thank the elements, thank spirit, and thank our ancestors D. Break the space Credits: God/dess Invoking Poetry ** by Shining Spider Myth: Researched and compiled by Shining Spider Meditation by Shining Spider Chant by Eala and Brian Clarke, 2002 |