The Solstice Spirit of Winter

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:54 pm

,,,,,,is a time of hope, rejoicing, looking an planning for the future year ahead. In some ways its more of a celebration of life more than anything else. I also have come to respect an admire the outlook an optimism of the Norwegian people at this time. Not only is there the winter solstice but also Jul or Christmas just a few days later. So the time of year is doublely celebrated with much tradition an flare. On the winter solstice Dec 21, is looked at by the people of the artic as halv way thru the darktime. The darktime is a time when all the activities during the summer, the running around, the visiting, summer solstice, vacations, an into the autumn, with harvest, rounding up the animals from all over the island the preperations of all the harvests that have taken place that by the time the darktime does happen we are sure ready for a nice long rest. Its a time to recouperate, get our energy back, an a time to reflect an plan ahead. The vikings an before, used to believe that the sun was a wheel in the sky that slowly rolled away from the earth or land, an on Dec 21, would slowly make its way back again by rolling towards them. With that came the celebrating because they knew that with the sun came life regernerated an everything would grow again. The ancient tradition was a very beautiful one that my husband an I also celebrate along with the family members an neighbors that gather around. Each household has a celebration but because community is so important up here an was way back when also, everything is shared. The ancients would send out the sons or men of the house an bring back a log that would fit in the hearth an a log for outside. Once the men came back with a fresh log a fire would aready be built, an waiting patiently for the new year to begin. The eldest male family member would then bless the logs with beer or mead, salt and oil. Then each member of the family would make their prayers an sprinkle one of the offerings used. Thanks would be given. The men of the family would then hoist the log into the hearth, then outside to the fire. When this was done, a great feast would be served an ofcourse the first plate or dish would be given to the fire. This was the start of the new year for the ancients. When the fire would burn down a piece of the log was taken out an saved to start the fire for next year. With great ceremony the ashes would then be taken an scooped up with care an walked thru the whole house an scattered in all the far reaches of the house. The fire outside was also treated with great respect an the same was done with it, but the ashes would then be scatterd around the farm or blown in the wind. Reason for this was simple, with the hope an future of the new year ahead precautions were taken to protect them, an what better way than the sacred ashes of the annointed log of the new year. My husband an I just let the wind take the ashes an scatter where they may.

These photos were taken last year before an after the darktime. The reason I have no pictures of that time is because there is no moon. No light. Only the stars to guide us where we want to go. Yes ofcourse we have modern technology an can use reflecter vests an flashlights, but its still dark an its a darkness that absorbs all light. The picture that I have here is the last moon before the darktime. It looks like the sun, but its the moon. The daytime moon trying so hard to shine enough light for us humans to make our way thru the day. But she only could give us light for 15 minutes then she was gone, an gone for over a month, only to come back an gives us her fullness again.

As she does here, we finally are rewarded with the moon, an light again as promised to us by an ancient pact made so long ago no one remembers when an how it was made.

Then slowly, ohh so slowly we are rewarded with light again, an bless with a very small amount of daylight by the sun, an the moon can now rest again soon, very soon, but not for a few more months.

But the promise of the sun is one that will come soon enough, but until then I will pay my respect to the moon an her light that she gives to us here in the artic. I will take the time to recouperate my body back to full speed ahead with the sun. But for now she tells us to slow down, enjoy the company of others, look to the future because of our faithfulness and it will be given back to us. After the darktime happens the fjÃƒÂ¸rd freezes over an the slow but every happening of light lets us go out an play an visit our neighbors. Renew aquaintences that got lost for a month during our darktime. The winter solstice is one that will ground you, an make you aware of the death of the land, but with the death comes life, an the solstice gives us that reminder that its on its way, with patience, an time, we the people who live here understand that an we play by the rules of the heavens an the earth an the ancients who paved the way to a tradition of the Norwegian people that is in the blood, in the heart, an given generously to those of us who seek to understand.

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eileen wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:55 am:

It's hard to imagine such daytime darkness as you experience for such an extended period of time. Our daylight hours here in Scotland are greatly reduced during the months of winter but are never totally dark.

Your photographs are beautiful with an almost ethereal quality to them.

toni wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 2:42 am:

Beautiful words and pictures, thank you.

It really must be wonderful to live in a place where life follows nature, slowing down to rest and gain strength. Living in a highly populated area like I do, it is hard to do that. I haven't seen stars in what seems like years because of the lights. But I really do enjoy being outside on the night of the full moon to sit quietly watching the moon, that seems to revitalizes me.

glendann wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:38 am:

Wonderful and I can not even think about dark like that.

Droopy wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:40 am:

A very poetic description of the dark time, Biita. I love your last photo.

SongofJoy57 wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:15 pm:

Your gift of the pen is fruit for my imagination. My finance and I are thinking that we are living in the wrong part of the world . . . I am sure that it just makes the day that more special when it does arrive. I read a novel by Ursela Guinn in college about a world of winter. . . it reminds me of your description. I think it was titled, "The Left Hand of Darkness," but I am not sure. It makes me wonder if she was from Norway.

Biita wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:00 pm:

Thank you for enjoying. It really is so peaceful up here, an as a transplant, i observe, watch, an learn. Hopefully these traditions will never die, but be passed on an on, one can only hope huh..lol. But that is where the yule log came from, from the norwegians. I have never heard of that author but now i have to look her up,, thanks, i can always use a good book in the winter...lol. not much else to do til theres light.