The winter solstice has been celebrated as an important event since prehistoric times, and in any case, before the advent of the first calendar. In most cultures, the birth of the Sun was celebrated on this day, and with it the New Year.
The longest night and the shortest day of the year were perceived as the apotheosis of death and darkness, a certain point "O", after which the revived star again slowly begins to regain power over the world, awakening nature to life.
Sunrise on December 22 illuminates the beginning of the next life cycle, so the day as a whole is filled with strong mystical meaning and powerful energy. Celebrating the day of the solstice, the ancient people were sure that it erases the boundaries between the worlds of people, gods and spirits, which makes possible direct communication between them, the exchange of power and energies, and most importantly, information that is closed at any other time.
In Persia, on the winter solstice, the birth of the sun god Mithra was celebrated, who, gaining strength, conquered winter, opening the way for spring. In pagan Europe, the sacred Yule began on this day - a holiday that marked the beginning of a new life and renewal of nature and lasted 12 days and 13 nights. Its name carries concepts such as "turn of the year" or "dark time".
According to legend, on these nights, all worlds converge in Midgard, that is, here on Earth. Gods and goddesses descend to people, trolls and elves talk with mere mortals, and the dead come out of the underworld. Some men and women temporarily leave their bodies and become werewolves or other spirits. Yule is the time of the great feast and sacrifices, when all the living gathered together in order to meet the Sun again, which has risen from darkness, to greet the revived world and to enlist the support of higher powers for the coming year. For thirteen nights of Yule, spirits ruled the world.
The celebration was a gap between two years, a sacred period during which there is no customary time and boundaries. Only the lot of the gods is done and the spindle of the goddess of Fate rotates. The first night was called "Mother's" and was dedicated to complex rituals that awaken fertility and support the renewal and growth of all living things. With the onset of darkness, people burned fires designed to protect homes from evil spirits. The cycle ended with a “day of fate” - everything that was said and done before sunset determined the upcoming events of the coming year (hence the well-known superstition: how you meet the new year, so you will spend it). It was believed that there are no more sure signs than those that were revealed during the 13th night.
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Dazhdbog was born among the Slavs on the day of the winter solstice - a giver of warmth and light. People believed that the Sun stops at the will of Karachun - the cruel god of the underworld, the lord of darkness, the lord of death, the lord of the cold and the direct ancestor of Santa Claus. Deifying the Sun, the Slavs tried in every possible way to help him cope with the annual misfortune. Realizing that life itself comes from the beloved luminary, they performed rituals that personified the victory of light over darkness. At the same time, they tried not to offend the formidable Karachun by exposing sacrificial food for him under the windows of houses, but, on the other hand, they made fires and jumped over them, taking in the spirit of fire. And of course, like other peoples, on the frosty day of December 22, our ancestors took care of the future, first of all about the harvest, about the offspring - in a word, about a happy future in a continuous circle of life.
Expert opinion
BUCHEYAR psychic, occultist
The solstice marks renewal, the beginning of a new cycle. Like all earthly nature, each person, like a snake, sheds his old skin and, as it were, begins to live anew, receiving a new shell. A cleansing process is taking place, which can be enhanced through fairly simple practices. You can add new energies to yourself, such as the energies of prosperity, success, health. Previously, this was achieved in the course of mass ritual actions. Now, you can use a simple but effective trick. On the night of the solstice, get under the shower, imagining how the water washes away all the negativity - failure, illness, bad luck.
Try to mentally see how all this turns into dark particles at your feet, goes down the drain, dissolves into the ground. And in return, also at the level of visualization, you should invoke the energies that you lack. Another important point. During periods of renewal, the world is in an unstable, mobile state, which increases the likelihood of injuries, accidents, and any disruptions in business. Therefore, I would recommend people to be especially careful, to be more attentive to their health, not to plan important matters, long trips, medical procedures at this moment.
WHEEL OF FATE
It is noteworthy that the famous megaliths of antiquity - Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids, Mayan observatories and other places of worship - were precisely "tuned" for the winter solstice. This, of course, speaks of the importance of the sacred rituals performed during this period. But in the coming December we have something special to go through.
In 2012, the date of the winter solstice takes on a special meaning: December 21, according to the Mayan calendar, ends the 5200-year cycle of earthly civilization. On this day, among other things, a rare astronomical event is expected, the frequency of which is 26,000 years: our yellow dwarf will pass through the axis of the center of the Galaxy. The legendary Mayan astronomers believed that at this moment the galactic clock would be at zero point, and then a new galactic year with a duration of 26 thousand solar years would begin. It should be noted that, according to most scientists. The solar system originated in the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which has a diameter of 70 thousand light years, and about 400 billion stars are concentrated in its central part.
Thus, the Maya were not mistaken in calling the Milky Way the great cosmic mother who gave birth to life itself. The central bulge appeared to them as a cosmic womb, inside which there is something that looks like a dark corridor or "dark gap". The Maya called him by various names, most often using the term "movement during childbirth." It is through the back of this gap that the Sun will pass during the winter solstice of the current year, reborn from the galactic womb.
Today, most prophets and scientists agree that all of the listed unique astronomical phenomena do not threaten humanity with the end of the world. But this does not mean that they will pass unnoticed for us. Maybe it's time to remember ancient traditions and take care of the well-being of the next life cycle?
BORN AGAIN
The traditions of celebrating the winter solstice are quite similar among different peoples. So, one of its central places was occupied by the customs of commemoration. People tried to appease the powerful forces that came to Earth on the darkest night from other worlds. They were greeted with lavish sacrifices and tried to gain information about the future through fortune telling. Signs of ancient rituals are easy to find today. For example, the evergreen spruce that adorned Yule as a symbol of life has now become the main attribute of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
On these days, people continue to carol, giving pre-prepared treats to everyone who knocks on the door, exchanging gifts, which symbolizes the sacrifice. And lighted candles and Christmas lights are bright flashes of ancient bonfires. After all, fire is a protection and an assistant in communicating with spirits. Moreover, Christmas itself, which inherited all these traditions, was not accidentally found to be as close as possible to the winter solstice. The new hope of mankind manifested itself in the same days in which people from ancient times are accustomed to meeting the reborn gods.
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If we analyze the traditions of the winter solstice from the standpoint of modernity, then this is a sacred period, when the position of the luminaries and cosmic flows of energy open up access to the energy-information fields of the Universe. Correctly formulated wishes and prayers create certain "programs" that operate during the next strictly defined period of time. One important condition made them especially effective: all rituals, prayers and feasts required mass participation. Inquiries
a large number of people possessed serious powers of reality modeling. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the framework of a quiet family holiday, wishes sometimes do not reach the goal.
BE HAPPY
Experts are confident that the coming solstice of 2012 will certainly change the fate of our world. But how - depends only on us. What needs to be done for the future personal happiness and well-being of the planet?
Preparing to enter into the unique energy of the period, one should get rid of all bad thoughts, resentments, postpone petty worries and prevent negative outbursts, including irritability characteristic of a modern person. It must be remembered that a certain "pure matrix" during the winter solstice absorbs our desires, aspirations, emotional images, so that later they can be returned in the form of real events. Include participation in mass festivities in the holiday program - this will strengthen your health and raise your social status.
Do not neglect noisy and plentiful feasts in a wide circle of friends, relatives and neighbors - they attract prosperity, harmony of family relations. Do not forget about remembrance: put candles in the church for everyone whose memory is dear to you, give them words of love and gratitude. You don't have to ask them anything, just strengthen the bond with your guardians.
Prepare gifts and be sure to make donations for the poor, for the restoration of a historic building or church. The universe will certainly respond to this with a benevolent attitude from others, which will make it easier for you to achieve any goal you set.
The powerful energy of the unique astronomical period of the 2012 winter solstice is capable of incredible, large-scale miracles. It's time to change what needs to be changed. The main thing is not to miss your chance.
"Line of Fate" December 2012