Since the night hours will only get shorter after that point, Yuletide represents the rebirth of the Sun God. The Gallbladder is the Shao Yang. This is a time to ice skate through winter whites as a means of gaining purity and clarification. When all other trees and plants have gone dormant for the winter, the holly can be found still be dressing the bare landscape in red and green. To some, that extra darkness actually adds to the spiritual significance of the Winter Solstice. The winter solstice, hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice, also known as midwinter, occurs when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun.It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). Esoteric Meaning Of Christmas And The Winter Solstice by Gregg Prescott, M.S. In astrology, it's a date with great meaning. Yule, the winter solstice, falls around December 20 – 22 in the northern hemisphere, and near June 20 – 22 if you live below the equator. Autumn represents the preservation of life and its basic necessities. Christmas Tree Meaning. One argument would state his defining reason for us is to be a marker for the winter solstice and New Year. The most important thing is the meaning you bring to it. Journal & Sharing Prompts. Solstice derives from the Latin scientific term solstitium, containing sol, which means "sun," and the past participle stem of sistere, meaning "to make stand." It “amplifies” thoughts and forces you to be in control of your actions. The ancient Romans celebrated Winter Solstice with a festival called Saturnalia, dedicated to Saturn their god of agriculture. During the winter solstice, the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the Sun, delivering the fewest hours of sunlight of the year ... meaning shorter days and longer nights. In other words, a perfect time to ride your bike! Maybe he is here to bring the light back or maybe he is here to represent the total darkness. There is a saying about Chinese winter solstice, that is, when a person eats Tang Yuán on Dong Zhì, s/he is one year older. In the early 4th Century, the Roman Emperor Constantine declared that Christianity would be the new faith of the Roman Empire, the Saturnalia was given a new name and meaning. It was believed that on this day, the Moon […] Why is 2017's solstice significant? For many in the Northern Hemisphere the Winter Solstice heralds a future featuring long, cold, dark months. The Symbolic Nature of The Winter Solstice. Think evergreens, yew, oak, mistletoe, holly, rosemary, pine, and ivy. In essence, it is the symbolic end of the cold and dark winter and the return of light. Winter Solstice Traditions and Festivals. The winter solstice has symbolic meaning, acknowledging that light always returns even in the darkest of times. December 21, ... and participating in the construction and interpretation of these systems of meaning. However, for others, the Winter Solstice an extremely spiritual day full of sacred rituals. During this time, animals prepare for the winter by storing food and creating cozy hibernation spaces. Winter Solstice or December Solsticemostly happens on December 21 or 22. During this day, the path of the Sun in the sky is the shortest and the lowest on the horizon. Take your journey hand-in-hand with Nature by knowing the (general) dates of the equinox and solstices. After the Winter Solstice, each day becomes longer until the longest day of the year arrives around June 21st. This period is symbolic of the biblical story of the prodigal son, who leaves his father’s home, and totally indulges his desires, is totally immersed in materialism. For the world is at it’s darkest when St. John arrives. The winter and the world in the darkness have a deep symbolic meaning to Masons. But there is a much longer and deeper answer. Many trees and plants were traditionally important to the celebration of the winter solstice (on December 21). Before getting in to the specifics, it's helpful to understand what the technical meaning of Winter Solstice is. Sir, – We celebrate two distinct festivals at this time of year, Christmas and the winter solstice, radically different in their origin and meaning. Each culture has a different spin on this iconic feature during the winter solstice. Tang Yuán is the food with a symbolic meaning of family reunion. During the dark, cold days of winter, our ancient Ancestors brought evergreens into their homes to symbolize hope and a reminder of the renewal of the springtime to come. Winter Solstice: The Time to Be Reborn. Evergreens . The date of Winter Solstice 2020 is 21 st December 2020, Monday at 10.02 hours UTC. ... Temporal events like the winter solstice can only exist in our minds within a larger chronological framework: it is … Of course the short answer is that it is a name referring to the Winter Solstice. The winter solstice, which occurs on or around Dec. 21 (in the northern hemisphere), is the first day of winter. The winter solstice of that year (Dec. 21, 2012) corresponded to the date 13.0.0.0.0 on the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar and was the end of a 5126-year cycle. Learn more about their symbolic meaning. There is no wrong way, so long as your intentions are pure. 1. The spiritual meaning of April is intrinsically linked to its symbols. Overlooking North Portland … In a culture obsessed with looking to the future and setting resolutions for the upcoming New Year, the Winter Solstice can be a wonderful time for reflecting on the past year. Yule holds special meaning to us as Pagans due to the important symbolic nature of the balance between light and dark, and the shift in balance at this point in the year. While most of us barely acknowledge its passing, to earlier cultures this was a day of both trepidation and celebration. It involved a ceremony in which an Inca priest would “tie” the sun to a column stone in a symbolic effort to keep it from escaping. Get more about symbolic Christmas tree meaning here. Symbolic winter invites us to quiet the mind, still the soul, and crystallize our inner workings. During the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, Tāng Yuán is called Yuán Xiāo . Yule, otherwise known as the Winter Solstice, is a pagan holiday that marks the longest night of the year. For example, in the days of the Inca Empire the winter solstice was honored with Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun. Looking specifically at my own spiritual path, the Winter Solstice marks the time for Yule celebrations. The birthstone of the fourth month of the year is the most precious of all: the diamond. What is the symbolic meaning of autumn? The winter solstice was historically a time when cattle was slaughtered (so the animals would not have to be fed during the winter) and the majority of wine and beer was finally fermented. Same delicacy with different names! In ancient times, it was a celebration of burning the shadows away. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year that marks the beginning of the winter period. From ancient Celtic to American immigrants to European influence – Christmas tree meaning is all over the map. It represents a turning point in the year, just as marriage represents a turning point in your lives, and since the holiday season is meant to be joyous it can be a very happy time for a wedding! Solstice comes from the Latin scientific term solstitium, comprising sol, meaning “sun,” and the past participle stem of sistere, meaning “to make stand.” This is because the location of the sun in the sky relative to the horizon at midday, which increases and decreases throughout the year, tends to pause in the days following the solstice. In northern hemispheres, the Winter Solstice falls in Capricorn, the sign representing deepest materialism! Winter solstice traditions, meaning and rituals for the shortest day of the year. Further in this post, you will find Eastern Time as well. So the period from Winter Solstice to Vernal Equinox represents youth, the period from the Vernal Equinox to the Summer Solstice represents young adulthood, the period from the Summer Solstice to the Autumnal Equinox represents middle age, and the period from the Autumnal Equinox to the Winter Solstice represents old age. This largely observed astronomical phenomenon is also known as December Solstice which marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. 01. of 07. Many of these holidays celebrate light literally, but for many, there is also the symbolic meaning of light ~ Wisdom. Winter Solstice on December 21 marks the onset of winter, it is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. So to understand what it is and to fully observe it with the greatest intensity and honor, let’s start with a few snippets of the more vast and full meaning of Yule. The Winter Solstice is associated to numerous spiritual meanings, making it so much more than just the year’s shortest day. A winter solstice celebration in Canada. The symbolic meaning of the Christmas tree is deeply rooted in history. Let’s take a look at Yule, and seven plants that often correspond with the season. The symbolic meaning of April. Andre Gallant / Image Bank / Getty Images. The actual date of the winter solstice differs from year to year, and can occur any day between December 20 and December 23, though it mostly falls on 21 st or 22 nd of December. Getty Images. Winter Solstice holidays have been with us for thousands of years, begun at the dawn of agriculture among people who depended upon the return of the sun. Each of the six channel families is associated with one of the Five Phases, and the Shao Yang specifically has a Fire association. It's also the shortest day and the longest night of the year. In Pagan times the winter solstice was referred to as Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess (Moon) energy. The solstice, which occurs on December 21, is an auspicious occasion that is celebrated around the world.