Even though I was raised Catholic, one of my earliest end of year celebration memories has to do with the Hindu celebration of Diwali, a festival of light.
As a young child, possibly 4 or 5 years old, I remember driving around Suva, Fiji, to see workmates of Dad’s through neighbourhoods filled with lamps, lights and candles.
It seemed so pretty and sparkly to my young eyes. I especially enjoyed the tasty Indian sweets we ate afterwards.
I didn’t really know what was being celebrated, but as a child, anything that involves a party seems fun. It’s only now, looking back as an adult, that I realise what was happening.
It’s funny then that I’ve grown into a woman who’s almost obsessed with light, through my astrological work. I love the sun, the heat and being outside in the warmth. (Yes, it is ironic I married a man from one of the coldest countries!) Astrologers use the planets, including their light, visibility and phases, to create meaning. (Explore what the planets might promise for you in year ahead a chart consult.)
Celebrating the Light
This is similar to what many older cultures and religions have done for eons. Many celebrations at this time of the year – from Christian Christmas to Diwali and the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah – celebrate light. They mark the Sun’s turning point, which is this weekend – the Solstice.
Most major religious and spiritual festivals are based on northern hemisphere seasons, and at this time of the year it’s awfully dark in the northern half of the world. This is something I came to appreciate more directly after moving to Canada. (Right now we have about 8 hours of decent daylight, between approx. 8am – 4.30pm.)
I used to love the June Solstice in Sydney, which is midwinter there. It meant that even though the temperatures might stay low, the days were about to get longer. This in turn meant spring and my first swim of the season weren’t that far away. Now I mark the same solar turning point, but in December, as that’s mid winter in Canada.
Light is more than just brightness. It’s celebrated because it represents the absence of darkness. It’s also essential for growth, evolution and development, at both inner and outer levels. Light has come to represent goodness, and it acts as a guide. Thus, we celebrate the light as a way of celebrating our own goodness and potential.
Solstices, the Sun and Turning Points
The two solstices are the standing still points of the Sun. They occur on approx. June 20 and December 20 each year. In midsummer, the Sun sits high in the heavens, at his maximum peak point. In mid winter, the Sun hangs low in the sky, about as low as he ever gets.
The Solstices mark the Sun’s turning points. They represent boundaries, and can be a time of changing focus or direction in your life too. If you’re born on or near a Solstice, your life may follow the path of the Sun, swinging between extremes of high and low.
Regardless of the season where you are, this time of year is about pausing, reflecting and then turning. You may be inspired by the Summer Sun to shine brightly, or by the Winter Sun to rest.
In 2018, the December Solstice is:
Sydney: December 22, 9.22am
New York/Toronto: December 21, 5.22pm
In whatever season you greet the Solstice Sun, may its light inspire you as the old year becomes the new.
What are your plans and intentions for the year ahead?