Good Solstice To All

Solstice arrives tonight. I always wonder, for those people who camp out at various power places for the turn of the year, what they actually do when Solstice or Equinox doesn't actually begin until late in the day. Imagine - you're camped out at your local power place, maybe Chaco Canyon, or how about the big cahuna - Stonehenge. You've been freezing while waiting overnight for the sun to rise. The sun finally crests the horizon and you join hundreds of other people to welcome the brilliant orb of light with dancing, song, and ceremony. BUT today's solstice arrives after 6:00 pm in my time zone. Hmmm.... It'll arrive closer to noon on the Salisbury Plain. Still hmmm....  I suspect the impact is a bit lessened without the sunrise or sunset playing its' role, so people are going to dance at sunrise irregardless of the actual timing of the event. 

Although Stonehenge gets a lot of the attention for Solstice, it isn't 
the only power zone with a solstice indicator. Here is what's known as
the Solstice Corner in Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico USA.
As an archaeologist who worked on the Chacoan outliers, it's always
had a special part of my heart. There's a lot written about Chaco
Canyon, but if you're interested in an overview, here's the link
to the Wikipedia entry. 

Still - it is Solstice today - the official move into the next season for all of us. Those in the Southern Hemisphere will be welcoming summer, those of us in the Northern climes will be bundling up for winter. Snow and ice will be forthcoming for months to come. *sigh* It's the earth's time of rest and rejuvenation, but it's my least favorite time of the year for driving to and from the shop and doing other errands. 

Although the image is a bit imaginative, it's still an amazing
place to be. Stonehenge and the other henges throughout
Britain are phenomenal places to visit and walk through.
Stonehenge itself is usually closed off - you can't walk
directly into the circle. It's opened for ceremony on the dates
of the Summer and the Winter Solstice only. 

My holiday posting schedule will be truncated - I have a few days off before diving into my end of the year 4-day sale. I'll be posting tomorrow, but then I'll probably take a few days off since I have a short holiday time myself. We'll see. 

Celebrate Winter Solstice in a way and location that is comfortable
for you. The Wheel is turning yet again and we still have so
much to learn. Peace and love to all of my readers today and
throughout the next year. 

So enjoy the Solstice, dance physically around your house or mentally around the sacred places of the world. Be kind to others to begin this next year of the Great Cycle with just a bit of love to offset the harshness and hatred so evident in our daily news. As always, do something kind, and if you can afford it, start to narrow down your choices for your end-of-the-year donations or other support. There are so many ways to help others and each bit of kindness helps - baby steps towards a better world. Have a great Friday and I'll be back tomorrow.