REFLECTIONS ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE: JOURNEY OF THE SUN

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." –Isaiah 9:2

THE WINTER SOLSTICE AS THE "LONG NIGHT" BEFORE THE COMING LIGHT...

The death and rebirth of the sun happens during the longest night of the year, after 3 days of being 'dead' at the lowest degree South in latitude (enter Capricorn/Winter). The 'light of salvation' begins to shine forth and grow stronger each day, gradually lengthening the day until we reach the vernal equinox when day and night are equal in length (enter Aries/Spring: the start of the astrological year). The days keeps gettin longer and nights shrink, until the Summer Solstice, when we have the longest day and shortest night. Here the Sun is at it's peak and as far North in latitude as it will travel (enter Cancer/Summer) . Day by day, nights begin to lengthen as days shrink until they are in balance again during the Autumn Equinox (enter Libra/Fall) and so on.

The Analemma

The analemma (above) is the yearly path of the Sun as it travels on the ecliptic. When you photograph the sun every month at the same time and from the same location (North of the Equator) you can observe this phenomena.

The winter solstice is the longest night. The 'death and rebirth' of the sun, symbolizing the death and rebirth of ourselves through the alchemical process. We will dive deeper into this process in the coming posts. Stay tuned :)

¨As the longest night wraps us in its sacred stillness, we’re called to pause. Honor the dark, light a bonfire, steep some herbal tea, and reflect. Growth begins in silence, not sunlight. Rest isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. Together, we sustain the light through the dark.¨

–Amandha Volmer

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