Brief History Of Saturnalia 12/17/2014-12/23/2014 Long before people celebrated Christmas, they celebrated the Winter Solstice and other holidays. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia. It was a time when Saturn in his aspect of God of seeds and sowing was honoured. It was also a time to celebrate the returning light and the Winter Solstice. Besides Saturn, other Gods were also honoured at Saturnalia; Ops (Mother Goddess and wife of Saturn), Sol Invicta (both the Sun God and the feast of the Unconquered Sun), Consus (God of store bins of Harvested grains), Juventas (God of Young Manhood) and Bacchus (also know as Dionysus. God of wine and intoxication). Saturnalia started around 217 BCE and was held on December 17th. However, due to its popularity it quickly grew into a weeklong celebration, running from December 17th to December 23rd. Both Roman rulers Augustus and Caligula attempted to shorten the holiday, but neither had any success. During the time of Saturnalia peace prevailed and all wars were temporarily stopped and courts were closed. Government offices, schools and some businesses were also closed. Like most Pagan festivals, Saturnalia had an astronomical correspondence. It corresponded to the sun reaching its furthest point from the Earth and its renewed journey back. Saturnalia is a celebration of the sun’s triumph over winter and the continuation of life. Today’s winter Solstice is usually on December 21st, but in Ancient times, it fell on December 25th. The winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. Saturnalia is a time to join with family and friends to celebrate the Gods, the Sun and the coming of spring and life renewed. The Saturnalia festivities began with a solemn Ritual in the Temple of Saturn. A hollow statue of the God was filled with olive oil as a symbol of his Deity role as an agriculture God. His feet, which were normally bound by woollen straps, were released to symbolize the freedom and liberation of the God during the Celebrations. The opening Ritual was followed by public and private feasts and celebrations, always with effigies of Saturn being the guest of honour. During the festivities, the God Bacchus was called on to lead the revelry. Brief History Of Litha/Summer Solstice This is being celebrated in one hemisphere as Winter Solstice/Yule is being celebrated in another. The Summer Solstice has the longest daylight hours of the year, being the first day of Summer. Nature is at its peak. It is marked with festivals of fire, celebrating fertility, health, and love. Spend time outdoors by going on a picnic, leaving food out for the Fae, and gathering herbs. The Summer Solstice is a classic day to practice all kinds of magick for various goals. In some traditions, Litha is a time at which there is a battle between light and dark. The Oak King is seen as the ruler of the year between winter solstice and summer solstice, and the Holly King from summer to winter. At each solstice they battle for power, and while the Oak King may be in charge of things at the beginning of June, by the end of Midsummer he is defeated by the Holly King. This is a time of year of brightness and warmth. Crops are growing in their fields with the heat of the sun, but may require water to keep them alive. The power of the sun at Midsummer is at its most potent, and the earth is fertile with the bounty of growing life. For contemporary Wiccans and Pagans, this is a day of inner power and brightness. Find yourself a quiet spot and meditate on the darkness and the light both in the world and in your personal life. Celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year with fire and water, night and day, and other symbols of the triumph of light over darkness. A SIMPLE LITHA/SUMMER SOLSTICE ACTIVITY/RECIPE You’ll need: A Mortar & Pestle 3 parts myrrh 1 part apple blossoms ½ part bay leaves ½ part cinnamon bark or cinnamon 1 part chamomile flowers 1 part lavender flowers 2 parts mugwort ½ part rosemary Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation, such as: Balance of the heavens and earth below, The power of the sun in this incense grows. Cinnamon, mugwort, apple and bay, Fire and water, on this longest day. Herbs of power, blended by me, As I will, so it shall be. Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh. Hope you learned a lot today. See you tomorrow. Until then, Blessed Be! *White Owl
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:00:05 +0000
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