The Winter Solstice has marked the death and coming rebirth of the Sun (the Holy Son) across cultures, mythologies, religions, and traditions. From our perspective on Earth, the solstice is considered the farthest point from the Sun because it creates the shortest day of the year and marks the transition into shorter days through winter, symbolizing the death and darkness of the period. However, this is only observational or what’s perceived here on Earth. In reality, the Winter Solstice and the period of early Winter going into early January (through the Epiphany) is when the Earth is about 1.6 million miles closer to the Sun.
When we are unfulfilled outside of us, when it is no longer sunny enough to stay outwards oriented, we are called inwards. This descent into darkness symbolizes this inner calling that is only experienced as a death from the Earthly perspective. From the spiritual dimension, this is the ultimate inner calling of your soul. It’s a birth; the opportunity to engage with your own inner mysteries and, when ready for Spring, create something new.
New can only be created from the dark. Or it wouldn’t be new, it would just be the past repeating itself.
This is the Winter Solstice of the Northern Hemisphere, but it is the archetypal winter of the same story and cycle we endlessly experience. Every chapter and season of your life will have its own archetypal winter. So when your outwardly oriented Sun sets, you will be presented with a profound opportunity to go inwards. A journey we often fight, which creates the real tension, but, this is infinity’s intention. To always change. This is what wisdom is for though, as is compassion and some humor - to endure, give meaning and grounding to the journey.
For the Southern Hemisphere, the symbolism is the opposite as their “Summer” Solstice would be this representation. But it’s always the same story. It’s the story we all know very well.
-Susan Reis / The Cyclical Seed
Ines
Beautiful