Winter Solstice: A Still Point

​Today is the Winter Solstice. The sun’s daily path, as we perceive it from Earth, has stopped. The earth’s axis that has tilted away from the sun is about to shift and tilt towards the sun. Chicago’s daylight has shrunk to nine hours. For my Swedish relatives near Trondheim, Norway, daylight has shrunk to four and a half hours. It is a moment that happens at the same time throughout the planet. The pause in the earth’s natural rhythm invites us to stop, too, and reflect on what this astronomical phenomena means to our earth and to us as humans.

Aligned Rocks and Festivals

Stonehenge-like "calendar rock" on Sicily’s southern coast

In ancient times, knowing when winter’s dark days would begin to lengthen was important news. Any people trying to make their food supplies last until plants would grow again followed the astronomical signs. Evidence of this day’s significance is seen in structures of stone aligned with the rising or setting sun on the solstice. Examples: Stonehenge in England. The passage tomb at Newgrange in Ireland. In Sicily, Italian archaeologists found a 5000 year old rock formation with a 3.2-foot diameter hole, aligned with the winter solstice sun.

From ancient times to today, people have celebrated the shift towards light in this time of darkness, whether specifically speaking of the solstice or not. Among contemporary celebrations are Hannakuh, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Eid Al-Fitr.

Respect for Rhythm
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Scientific studies on the rhythms of both animals and humans have shown how tied our bodies are to nature’s cycles, whether we think about and respect them, or not. Richard Heinberg wrote in his book, Celebrate the Solstice:
         “Today….we human beings have created a situation unique in nature, as well as in the history
           of our own species. We have gradually but decisively cut ourselves off from many of the cycles
           of the cosmos and of the biosphere and substituted arbitrary, economically determined temporal
           patterns. We have overridden the natural daily rhythms of light and dark with the artificial illumination
           of cities; the rhythms of the seasons with greenhouses and supermarkets, jet travel and central
           heating. Electromagnetic fields from power lines, house wiring, and appliances drown out subtle
           geomagnetic signals from the Earth. Clock times has replaced Sun and Moon times; nanosecond
           computer time makes heartbeat time imprecise and irrelevant.” (1)
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Heinberg’s book offers information about solstice festivals ancient and current and guidance for people interested in creating solstice rituals of their own. 

For many of us, the ability to celebrate during this dark time of year may be difficult. If we have suffered trauma, we may find it hard to open our hearts to the dark we experience inside ourselves. The challenge is to find safe and meaningful ways to consider our lives and to turn towards the light. This week, I chanced on Jeff Brown’s summary of the situation in our culture in his article, Praises For The Trauma Speakers – Let Them Whisper Your Heart Back To Life.
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          “We are only just beginning to understand the nature of trauma on this planet. We are only just
           beginning to understand that we are all trauma-survivors, to one degree or another. We are only just
           beginning to listen to the real story of our lives, after generations of denial, victim-bashing, ungrounded
           attempts to ‘rise above’ it.” (2) 
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​The challenge for each of us to create safe places where we can be still and listen deeply to ourselves.

​This Saturday morning before 6 am, I will enter that kind of nurturing place at Link’s Hall in Chicago for a performance by percussionists Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang. As I have for many years, I will enter a room, dark except for a circle of candles, full of percussion instruments from around the world. For an hour, their soulful rhythms will permeate my body. As I listen, my own heart will seem to beat with the sound of the universe. In the old Link’s Hall before their move to a new venue, the passing elevated train would, from time to time, add its percussive sound. As the day awakens, I will awaken. 

Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang in concert at Link’s Hall in Chicago

Winter Solstice: a Still Point
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The hard shell of a seed protects a tiny seedling that carries within it the DNA of the plant from which it fell. It waits to germinate until its needs are met – a place in the soil, warmth, nutrients, light. This time of year with its long nights holds possibilities for germinating dormant seeds within us. This can be complicated, if our experiences of the dark have been painful. Our hard protective shell may prevent us from letting healing warmth penetrate and warm us to life. Even more important then for us to stop and listen to ourselves—to what life is waiting to emerge and to take the time and effort to create the conditions that will help that happen.

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(1) p.22, Celebrate the Solstice: Honoring the Earth’s Seasonal Rhythms through Festival and Ceremony, 1993, Quest Books 
(2) The Urban Howl, November 23, 2017

Coming Posts

• The next post will be in January.
• Marcy Setniker, leader of the Portland extension of the Cairn Project, will contribute.  
• ​I will take you on a virtual visit to cairns that inspired me.
• Sarah Gottlieb, Chicago Area dancer and choreographer, will contribute. Her BodyCompass Dance Project performed at many of the Cairn & Cloud installations.

http://www.thecairnproject.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cairnproject/