Happy yule and new moon
Happy yule everyone, the winter solstice, shortest three days of the year when the sun reaches a standstill before beginning to swing farther north again, allowing more light…
It’s a potent point in the cycle, reminding us of trust…we trust that the sun will rise in the east each day and set in the west. Just as we trust that each out breath will be followed by an in breath, at least until the day we move on to the next realm. Here though, many ancient megalithic structures are aligned with the winter solstice, to honour this shortest day and to no doubt ease fears of the sun never returning again, slipping farther and farther south. But alas t doesn’t. There comes a point, today, when it stops it’s movement south and that is a time to celebrate.
In our lives we may be transforming too. Delving into the darkness to find more of the light. The Gayatri Mantra is worth a chant today, and practising sun salutations in honour of the sun, provider of life, without whom we would not be able to sustain ourselves, not least by what we eat, but by the vitamin D provided, and of course the heat and light.
I had a feeling it wouldn’t be very clear today so I headed out to La Vardes dolmen on Friday, when I knew I’d actually get to see a sunset. It’s common knowledge now that a ray of light shines through this dolmen at Yule, hitting the point where the pregnant belly of a female stone meets the straight body of a male stone in the back chamber, which I believe is a fertility chamber. Without doubt this dolmen is a goddess temple, a carving of goddess is even etched into one of the capstones, and there’s evidence of rock art genitalia. I can see the face of an owl too, and various other bits and bobs that this amazing dolmen has revealed to me over the time I have been visiting.
Anyway, I was lucky to the place to myself to see it ‘going off’ on Friday while the boys played outside. It felt such a gift, because last year there were over 30 people in there with dogs and phones and chatter and general chaos, which sort of detracted from this most awesome spiritual moment, which was usually only enjoyed by a few of us over the last few years, the hard core ones amongst us who would troop up there day after day hopeful for clear skies.
We headed over to Sark that afternoon and I was lucky to enjoy a shooting star or two that night as I traipsed over to Little Sark and enjoyed all this magical island has to offer at night time and a visit to the dolmen of course, hidden as it is right there on the south coast, certainly I always get this place to myself, which is the best way!
I celebrated winter solstice sunset last night, ahead of time, simply because of the forecast for today, not looking so good. There’s an alignment on the south coast, the sun setting between some rocks, it’s rather special and the boys got to enjoy this with me again. It’s a gift to be able to see the sun rise and set like this and I am very grateful.
The message I am receiving over yule and the wane to the new moon on Friday is one of retreat, rest, solitude, silence, space and deepening into Self. I am keen to embrace this and dig deeper into this new moon cycle and clear out what needs to be clearer out, to create more space, and be very quiet, hermit like! So unless I get a momentary creative urge, then I probably won’t be on here again until the new year…so just to wish you all a happy yule and new moon beginnings and all these offer to you in the darkness that they bring, and of course a merry Christmas and happy new year for those celebrating.
Love Emma x