Arg shivered as he finished the last of the boiled weasel skin he
brought for his lunch. His daily hunt had taken him to the end
of the Tall Deer creek-bed. No luck, so far, no game at all. He
turned back down the valley, not looking forward to his evening
meal of the rotting wolverine meat in the bottom of the cellar.
His wife Erg and the kids would be disappointed to have no new
game. He knew she would probably just sink deeper into her
despair. The snowfalls and increasing darkness each day had
left her unable to cope. She kept the kids in the hut with her
under the furs. She spoke of slow death and hopelessness.
They were all getting thin and weak. But every day it seemed he
still felt a core sense of hope. He felt optimistic and self-
confident. As he trudged on, he had time to worry and think.
He wondered, was he being irrational? Should he continue to
hope? He wanted a sign; no, he yearned for a sign. He had
heard from other hunters that the river village folk were
preparing for some winter celebration, but why? He decided to
visit Wiseguy, the village elder, to seek answers. He wondered
what the Solstivus celebration was all about. Wiseguy revealed
to Arg the meaning of Solstivus.
Solstivus is one name given to the annual winter gathering. All
tribes have evolved a traditional mid-winter holiday or
celebration, and for good reason. Solstivus is a celebration of
life. It is the occasion when we are reminded of the reliable
rhythms of nature and life.
The earth and all life on earth move through cycles of birth,
growth, decline, and rebirth. All persons can see that this is
so. Just as each day begins with a dawning of the sun and ends
with darkness, so each year begins with increasing daily
sunlight, which peaks in summer, and then declines again to a
winter low point. All plants and animals (including humans)
also follow the same earth cycle. Animals hibernate in the
winter and reactivate as spring returns. A person's life
likewise follows a similar cycle; childhood, adulthood, then
death. Each individual is like a link in a chain that appears
to extend infinitely backward and forward; the Chain of Life.
Humans have self-awareness, an ability that makes them aware of
and fearful of their vulnerability. As each winter intensifies
and survival becomes a challenge, humans are prone to doubt that
things can improve. They doubt that the cycles of life will
continue.
For earth, the low point of the year, for the northern
hemisphere, when the sun and its nourishing power is at its
lowest point in the sky, is called the Solstice. The solstice
event provides visceral proof of the renewal of the cycle; people
can see for themselves that the sun is indeed returning (or
rising) day by day in the sky. The solstice is the single most
auspicious celestial event each year, and so it is the most
natural candidate for a day for recognition of the cyclical
nature of everything. With the physical proof of the
continuation of the earth cycle comes a realization that things
start to inevitably improve, generally speaking. Doubts about
the continuation of the chain are alleviated. One feels that he
has survived another low point, that he has achieved a victory
over darkness (both literally and figuratively). The
predominant emotion is relief, and this feeling gives rise to a
collective celebration, to share the recognition. The people
call this celebration Solstivus.
The people gather at Solstivus to celebrate the renewal of life.
They express common recurring emotions, or themes, including
expectations for increasing vitality, renewal and hope - the
essences of life. The celebration of life is heralded by light,
the sun's increasing light, and so Solstivus is symbolized by
light, mostly the light of candles burning resolutely in the
darkness. Over and over again the people feel an urge to
surround themselves with symbols of life and to decorate their
homes with recurring color schemes. For example, evergreen
trees, boughs or plants (ex. holly, mistletoe) are gathered,
because they literally show life-like green color even when other
plants are brown and barren. Things colored green are gathered,
because living plants have green foliage. Things colored red
are also gathered, because people associate red with the power of
the sun and fire. Things colored white are also gathered,
because most feel that white best symbolizes the purity of birth,
rebirth or renewal. Some people place lots of candles (lights)
around and in their homes.
Solstivus has always naturally engendered certain recurring
behaviors in different tribes of people. To express their
renewed hope, many will typically hold a feast, to demonstrate
their confidence that more food will become available. To
express their appreciation and sense of generosity/charity, many
will give gifts. To express their relief, many will seek to re-
connect with friends and family; singing often breaks out at
gatherings. To express their sense of good fortune to have
survived, many will forgive others for perceived transgressions,
and they may say they wish for peace.
The symbols and behaviors of Solstivus affirm our connection to
the earth, its life force, and our own human purpose. Solstivus
heralds the hope of a new day.
Arg is everyman at all times. Arg and Erg are in you. Does
Wiseguy's explanation ring true for you?
|
