The Southern Tomb
Being a Nordic, this time of year is very special. I just loved Christmas in Sweden. Though there is almost no sun, it is bright enough to go cross country skiing by starlight and the whole energy is just magical. Well, summer is also special because the sun can be overhead at night but the animals in the forest and even the fish in the lake sleep. The stillness of the north is very special, something I have always treasured.
There is mythology surrounding this time of year that no doubt predates Christianity which was very late reaching the Scandinavia. If far enough north, the sun disappears into what is sometimes called the Southern Tomb. There, it rests for three days and then emerges again to begin the journey northwards, and it is this rebirth of Light that has been celebrated from ancient times as the birth of hope and a better future.
This is like a fresh start, and in some cultures, the new year begins either at the winter solstice or when the sun emerges from the tomb. The symbology and its relationship to culture and religion is surely obvious, not just to Christians but also to many others around the world.
I have long been an advocate of calendar reform, including the elimination of daylight savings time. The statement attributed to Native Americans always brings a chuckle: “Only a white man would believe you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket.”
Some say, it was “government” that operates under such delusions; but, as an astrologer, I believe that holidays should be synchronized with calendars. The logical time to start a new year would be when the sun appears to emerge from the tomb . . . or when it enters zero degrees of Aries.
I spent one winter holiday in Japan where three days rest are observed at the start of the new calendar year, but in reality, it should be now that we go within . . . and reflect and imagine what life could be like if optimism prevailed over fear. Then, when the sun regains power, we energize the way forward into era of harmony with one another and with the Universe . . . which should be our guidance system.
For me personally, this is a time of deep inner peacefulness. Action then follows the maturation of the ideas that have matured during the time of reflection.
Copyright by Dr. Ingrid Naiman 2024 || All Rights Reserved
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Reindeer Safari: Alexander Shalamov | Dreamstime.com
Beautiful. Thank you Ingrid. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and most beautiful New Year.
Loved this, Ingrid. Such a special time of year and I hope all who read this, experience the peace with which you put pen to paper. I could feel it and I hope others do, too.