[Background info about this series of posts found here]
Each night brings growing darkness as the days become shorter. May we use this time to look inside, be introspective, and listen to our souls --
Darkness deserves gratitude.
It is the alleluia point at which
we learn to understand that
all growth does not take place in the sunlight.
--Joan Chittister, Uncommon Gratitude
You are welcome to join me again next Sunday!
[Photos #1 and #2 © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]
29 comments:
A reminder that time passes and we are almost to the halfway point.
...hurrah for the Winter Solstice, the we are rewarded with more daylight!!!
I visited Stonehenge before the motorway was built.
You could touch the stones. There was no security.
1969 : I wanted to walk up Glastonbury Tor.
Peter Ackroyd's History of England opens on Stonehenge.
England was already old when Stonehenge was built.
Flint arrowheads some 90, 000 years old have been dug up
nearby.
Here in Scotland the Picts left behind their sacred stones inscribed with symbols ; we have nothing in writing of their
lives.
Haggerty
Absolutely wise words, and your illustration is beautiful and well done ๐๐๐ผ
@ Haggerty -- Thanks for your comment! I have visited Stonehenge and Glastonbury Tor as well. But alas, I have not made it to Scotland yet! I would love to, though.
Lovely observance. This month's moon is especially thrilling, too. I've been seeing it evening and very early morning before daybreak.
Hail the coming Solstice!!!
bobbie
Debra You may enjoy on YouTube :
Does Scotland have its own deities ? Kris Hughes.
We Went to Scotland's Wildest Pagan Festival - Great Big Story.
Leonie of The Book Leo vlog visited Edinburgh a few weeks ago, and captured images of the Old Town.
There is an earlier Edinburgh trip of hers a year ago.
Leonie is Dutch.
Our capital (40 minutes by train from Glasgow where I Iive) is medieval on one side of Princes Street and Georgian on the other side.
RL Stevenson was writing his uncompleted novel,
The Weir of Hermiston, as he lay dying in Samoa.
*I saw the rain falling and the rainbow drawn on Lammermuir,* he wrote in his dedication to his
American wife.
The grassy Lammermuir Hills lie near the broad streeted village of Haddington.
๐ Light leads to darkness; darkness leads to light. I love both because they keep my rhythm. Left to my own devices, like clocks and other pressures, I would never be in balance. But I follow nature and her goddesses and I feel full. ๐ง♀️ Thanks, Debra, for the altars and the calm. ๐ซถ
Beautiful. One of the farms in our area has a Solstice Circle and celebration in two weeks. They do it each year.
December is flying by too quickly!!
Dark nights can be cwtchy and cosy but knowing spring is coming makes them even better.
I love this.
Can’t wait for the winter solstice.
XOXO
I look forward to the daylight getting longer, Debra.
I always feel a little relief at Winter Solstice. Love that phrase "alleluia point."
Beautiful alter as always.
Gooooooood Sunday to you Debra! It's lightly snowing at around 2pm as I comment. So in about 30 minutes darkness will fall. And I looooooove it. I love this quiet liminal space of darkness. PS: Not really in 30 minutes but ya' know, close enough. Cheers and Happy Sunday.
Beautiful photos, dear Debra! I don't mind the shorter days, I just seem to get more done at home! LOL! I have always loved Winter, and this winter is supposed to be a freezing one with the Polar vortex...here in Canada, anyway, and it will affect us in Montreal. I will make sure to dress warmly and stay safe.
Sending you warm hugs. :)
Hello Debra, Well, I for one don't mind the long winter nights and darkness. I especially don't like the sky lightening up too early. On the other hand, in the summer, when I am in a temperate climate, I love the long summer evenings. Summer in Taiwan is a nightmare and although I don't like the (almost constant) rain, I definitely prefer dark, overcast skies.
--Jim
I found some music to go along with your altar. Play this in the background of the altar.
https://theinfinitethree.bandcamp.com/track/winter-solstice-xxi-xii-mmxix
Or order the album and have 32 songs to play.
I am looking forward to the return of the light but enjoying what is!
It’s hard to believe we are so close to the solstice. We are, of course, heading to the longest day of the year. We are supposed to be having our summer. But I’ve had the heating on more days than not
The weeks are sure flying by.
A delight.
@ Mike -- Thanks for the link!
I spy your Lucia in the top right corner, so remember to eat saffron buns on December 13 and put candles in your hair. (Why? Because we like a good fika and even a Catholic Saint with no connection to Protestant/pagan Scandinavia is a good reason for a candle in the dark and coffee.)
To paraphrase another well-known saying, it's darkest before the solstice.
A lovely, thoughtful post. Thank you, Debra.
Love,
Janie
I love that quote. I have written down the author and title and will search out her work. Thank you!
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