The Longest Night

According to some scholars, the practice of winter solstice celebrations may have been going on for over 12,000 years. There is evidence all over the world of solar observatories. From Germany to Korea, Ireland to Australia there are structures and practices which are symbolic of the movement of the sun.

This year I’ve decided to revisit some of that ancient tradition because I think the ancients got the timing right for getting rid of the old stuff and bringing new hope and life into the next season.

This time of year I struggle to get out of bed in the morning when it’s still dark. The students on my bus are bleary-eyed and sometimes late. Many people I know are experiencing SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Melancholy is everywhere yet we try to push our bodies and our hearts to put on happy faces and do much more than they were designed to do in the dwindling light.

My celebration won’t be elaborate. There will be a bonfire in my yard and I’ll likely have a glass of some sort of spirits - rusty nail comes to mind. I’ll invite some folks to join me and some will and some won’t. The people who are supposed to be here will be. If I’m alone that will be OK too.

Along with some potluck dishes and beverages, I’ll ask people to bring a list of the things that caused them pain in 2024. I also want them to write down the names of people they lost this year, be it by death or circumstances. What are the things that ended, lives, relationships, jobs, and homes?

There will be a time for lamenting. If people want they can share with all of us about their lists. We will not offer advice or counsel, only shared sorrow. When it seems right we will throw those pieces of paper which represent our hurt into the fire and watch the flames consume them.

Then like the phoenix, we will celebrate together what things might rise from the ashes in the light of the coming year. We will put away the old and move our hearts and souls into the light which will begin to rise just one minute early the next morning. We will set our intention toward the sun and find some encouragement and accountability in one another’s company.

If you are reading this you are invited. If you are too far away to attend join us in spirit.

Some solstice resources below

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What is a Solstice? | National Geographic

Some solstice Traditions

Winter solstice according to Wikipedia - always has endless links to other interesting info.

List of archaeoastronomical sites by country

Sunrise/Sunset Calculator

There is no twilight in the Polar North that night

I was curious about what happens at the solstice when you are on the equator. The winter solstice and summer solstice happen at the same time depending on which hemisphere you have your foot in. Chat GP gave me a long answer and summarized it by saying At the solstices, the Sun’s most direct rays have shifted far north or south, so at the Equator the Sun is never directly overhead at noon.

• Day length remains essentially the same year-round, close to 12 hours, even at the solstices.

• The seasonal concept of solstices is muted at the Equator compared to mid- and high-latitude locations, with only subtle differences in the angle of the Sun at midday.