Happy Solstice Everyone

[ishmael]

Tis the shortest day of the year here north of the equator, and hence the longest for our friends the other side. Christmas looms, a holiday scavenged by the Church to coincide with this time of humility, and of light's return. The twentyfifth was originally celebration of the birth of Mithras, another worker of fine things, also miraculously born.

Thinking about the need to welcome a return of the light, in humility, and of the power such a celebration must have held, before electricity and heat at the twist of a thermostat. Though the scientist priests of ancient Europe, and all over the globe, knew the seasonal cycle, and that it was dependable, the peasant, in all societies, did not. So to offer hosannas and praise, for the yearly miracle of the sun's seeming turning, would have been especially poignant to them.

Is it any wonder, in the new projection of this yearning, the Christ child myth has poor shepards the first recipients of the good news, and the birth itself occuring in a humble stable, because there was no room at the inn? Hunger for the mystery of the universe to express itself in terms we might understand! Here is god himself, born amidst the straw and dung and lowing of animals, in a stable. It's really quite beautiful, if you can get beyond whatever religious prejudice you hold, and take it into your heart.

The light returns, here in the Northland, and begins to fade, downunder.

My best to all you merry gentlemen and ladies, this solstice day.

Jack

[ 12-22-2002, 08:21 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Memphis Mike]

Merry Christmas Ish! And what you just
wrote is precisely the reason you shouldn't
quit. Carry the message.

[Donn]

The solstice is actually the beginning of slack in the tide of light. On Wednesday, the days start getting longer. The shortest day (for us) is four days long.

[ishmael]

Is that right? That doesn't sound right. A pause in the solar system's machinery? Surely the days become longer in the blink of an eye; there is a shift, a turning point.

Always open to new things, but how can you have four shortest days of the year?

[ 12-22-2002, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Donn]

Ish...if you limit your time measure to 1 minute, you'll find that there are 4 days, starting with the solstice, which have the same number of minutes of daylight. This morning, for example, the sun rose 1 minute later than yesterday, and set 1 minute later. The amount of daylight shifted forward in time, but the quantity in minutes remained the same.

Maybe it's a function of retirement, but I see no need to measure time any finer. This is Sunday. Tomorrow will likely be Monday. For me, the difference between the two is that I don't drive on Sunday.

[ishmael]

Okay, so there is a shift, just measured in seconds, not minutes.

You're right, it is minutiae. But interesting minutiae.

[Chris Coose]

15 years ago today I stepped into the light.
I was in such bad shape it took two years to latch on to the metaphor.
What a lucky sod to get two very distinct cracks at life.

Seasons Greetings to all of you and your families.
May we all fair well in the new year.

[Dave Williams]

Happy Solstice Ish and to you all and bright days ahead.

Here's to kindness,
Dave

[ken mcclure]

This is one of those topics that I'd like to be able to research in more depth some day. Maybe when I get closer to retirement.

I find it fascinating that so many of today's religions' traditions are "borrowed" from older religions, including paganism.

Maybe down deep under the scree of meaningless ritual there are some gems of universal truth to be discovered.

[Memphis Mike]

Well, I must say tonight that I've
sadly failed in one respect but have
succeeded in another.

Merry Christmas Guys and Gals!

[Wild Wassa]

We disturbed the spiritual equalibrium, by introducing daylight saving.

I hope the turning of the light, is just that little bit brighter, Jack. As we (in Oz) descend into darkness (it sounds tragic) you guys can warm up.

We called our youngest daughter Lucy. Lucy means light and she is. Light is a beautiful word.

The very best to All.

Warren.

[ 12-22-2002, 08:45 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Memphis Mike]

The best advice I've ever recieved on
this forum was " tear off the rear view
mirror." I've done that and am so much
happier.

Thanks dude! Without mentioning names. we all
know who he is. smile.gif

[Leon m]

Ishmael
Mithras,originally an Iranian/Persian deity
who dates back to the sixth century B.C.
and whose mysteries were imported into Rome
around the second century A.D. by legionaries
who had served in the east of the Empire. the
religion was an important aspect of Roman
spiritual life until as late as the fith century
A.D.,and it has been said by some commentators
that but for the accident of history that
popularized Jesus, the western world could
well have adopted Mithraism as its religion.

Like Apollo,Mithras was a solar deity who
had been sent to earth by the supreme God
of light to slay a huge bull...Sculptures
are found all over the roman world depicting
this dramatic event.

Mithras's birth was attended by sheperds
and at the end of his time on earth,when
he returned to his father,he took a last
supper with his followers,later remembered
by believers in a communion of bread and
wine.At the end he was believed to have
ascended to heaven,it was believed he would
return at the end of time to raise the dead
for a final judgment.the parallels between
this and Christian teachings are too close
to mistake.

Happy Solstice!

[ishmael]

Thanks for the amplification Leon! You miserable pagan you. :D

[Shang]

Huh? Somebody talkin' 'bout solstice?
I came in late...wuz busy dancing nekked around a big bonfire with a lot of other blue-painted folks drinkin' mead...

[Meerkat]

Ahura Mazda
The Persian sun god born as the twin brother of the dark god Ahriman from the womb of Infinite Time, the Primal Creatress. The fight between the brothers, resulting in Ahriman's fall from "Heaven," had the same cause as the rivalry between Cain and Abel of the Bible - that is, the sacrificial offering of one was accepted by the older deity, Vayu; the other was rejected. Vayu was probably a derivitive of the Vedic celestial Bi-sexual god Varuna, or Mitra-Varuna, whose other name became "Mithra".

[ken mcclure]

The whole "I bet my god can beat up your god" thing has started more wars and killed more people than can be counted.

I wonder how long it'll be before religions are required to come with a Surgeon General's warning.

[J. Dillon]

Ish,

I sincerely hope you find your dream before the next equinox.
smile.gif
JD

[garland reese]

Merry Christmas Ishmael,

I hope you find what your lookin' for my friend. I'm a believer in the Bible and in one God. Each man should make the choice what to believe.
As far as I can surmize, Christ was not born in December............

[Dave Fleming]

O&O East


For me, the difference between the two is that I don't drive on Sunday.

Funny you don't LOOK Kosher! :D :D :D

[Dave Fleming]

Jes' because there is a pond not too far from here, I don't want any of youse guys skeakin' 'round my 'hoose' with a pickaxe, a braided noose and a sharp knife!
I'm puttin' the Straw Man out in front of me door and keeping the fire going all night jes' to make sure.

:rolleyes: :eek:

[JimD]

Originally posted by Memphis Mike:
[QB]Well, I must say tonight that I've
sadly failed in one respect but have
succeeded in another...QB]Sounds like most of my days, Mike :D Happy solstice, everyone, whatever your reasons.
jimd