Preparing for the Solstice
I woke up this morning realizing that we are nearly half way through the year, and that the solstice, that pivotal time in the endless dance between the sun and Earth, is just around the corner.
The word "solstice" is derived from the Latin sol ("sun") and sistere ("to stand still"), referring to the three days when the sun appears to pause in its journey, before it tilts the opposite way. For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, we will be reaching that time of the darkest night before the sun is "reborn". For those in the Northern Hemisphere, you will be reaching the time of the longest day before the shades of winter gradually begins to encroach.
Our distant ancestors viewed such times as portals, as somewhat significant events, to which monuments were built in alignment, many of which remain standing today. One of the better known structures is that of Stonehenge, England, where the sun rises directly above the Heel Stone in the north-east at the summer solstice, with its first rays reaching right into the heart of the henge. At the winter solstice, the sun sets to the south-west of the stone circle.
Of course, there are many others around the world including Newgrange (Ireland), Machu Picchu (Peru), Karnak (Egypt), Angkor Wat (Cambodia) and even Chichen Itza (Mexico), just to name a few.
There are many stories, myths or fairytales, that mentioned Otherworldly enchantments at this time of the year. In Shakespeare's "A Mid Summer Night's Dream", the abundance of light and somewhat hedonistic sensations lure us into the realm of the fae, almost ignoring the darkness that is about the begin. At the winter solstice, despite it being the darkest night, within the ebony coverings lies the promise of the renewal, rebirth and the returning light.
If you reside in Adelaide, and are interested in gathering with likeminded people to observe the winter solstice, then on Saturday, 29 June 2024, The Magic of the Winter Solstice will be taking place upstairs at Carpe Diem with Remi at Port Adelaide. Click on the button below to learn more about this event.
