By
Rev. Amari Magdalena
This is a resurrection of an old piece that I wrote when I lived in Albuquerque New Mexico in the early 90’s. It is chocked full of great information about celebrations at this time of year. I’d highly recommend that you make a copy of this and keep it near your calendar as each celebration commences in the last month of 2017. Perhaps you will be drawn to one particular ceremony or possibly you will want to embrace them all in a glow of candles. Years ago I had candle holders for each celebration and honored all.
It began in total darkness. The
abandoned old automobile showroom came alive with twinkling lights. Rainbow streamers pirouetted down from once
obtrusive columns. Music, art, dance,
food, and children’s merriment lit up the Winter Solstice night as reminders of
the covenant of light so woven into each of our individual cultures. Dancing snowflakes stuck to the windows
completing the picture of magic. And, we
knew that after this long night the light would again return--slowly, ever so
slowly. Gentiles and Jews, Buddhists and Blacks, Latino and Pueblo observed
this Celebration of the South marking the deepest darkness of cosmic obscurity. It was an event of culturally diverse people
sharing their own unique light celebration in concert with one another. We brought presents for the tree of life to
gift back into the community. Our
celebration unfolded as a fitting tribute for a Mass celebrating the birth of
our solar Sun.
Each
person lit a candle as the ceremony progressed to bring back the light and end
the cycle of entropy. In the four
cardinal directions we acclaimed the seasons and their lessons. We began in the East where at Spring Equinox
we launched the masculine cycle of the year and gave thanks for genesis. In the
South we recalled the blessings of full sun, the warmth and passion of the
season of expansion. The West was lauded
for the feminine cycle and harvest of Mother Earth’s munificence. And finally, the North was extolled for the
emergence from the inner cave of introspection and the ensuing inner awakening.
The month of December holds many traditions
of Light. Through Winter Solstice or
Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas --Traditional and Eastern Orthodox, Twelve Holy Days
Candle Ceremony and Kwanzaa we shed light on the challenges of the old year and
free ourselves for the wealth of opportunities that the new year proffers. In each culture and tradition, light is the
key to illumination and the freedom it brings.
Amari is co-sponsoring a Solstice Celebration
on Wednesday, December 20th at the Majestic in Bellingham. For information visit the Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/events/169502160304518/
What follows are descriptions of many of the Light Celebrations:
Hanukkah-December 12 to 20, 2017
This Festival of Lights is celebrated for
eight days beginning on the 25th day of the month of Kislev
(November/December) to memorialize the victory of Jews over Hellenistic
Syrians. A nine-candelabra called a
Menorah meaning “fire” is lit to acknowledge the light of religious, national,
and cultural freedom won by the Maccabees for their people. The triumph of the Maccabees fueled a
resurrection of Judaism, which had waned under Hellinism. A server candle the Shamash is lit first and
used to ignite the flame of each of the eight nights with chanting and
blessings. The miracle of lamp oil used
to light the rededication of the Temple is at the root of the eight-night
commemoration. Judah Maccabee found
uncovered a small container of oil sufficient to light the lamps for one night
only. Through Divine intervention the
oil lasted steadfastly through eight nights until new oil was obtained.
Winter Solstice-December 21, 2017
Celebrated in many cultures worldwide for
thousands of years, the Winter Solstice marks the start of the solar year as a
celebration of Light and rebirth of the Sun.
Norse tradition called it Yule (Wheel).
In Japan Goddess Amaterasu emerged from her dark cave (hibernation), saw
her reflection in a mirror and then lit the world with refracted love from her
image. Celts rejoiced with Sun Goddess
Lucina. Yemaya an African Goddess
created the world anew from her womb at Solstice. Ancient Roman’s festival of Saturnalia lasted
as much as a week with rituals, feasts, merry-making, prayers for the crops and
ceremonial/social activities. Druids
adorned their homes with sacred herbs and holiday colors of red, green and
white. Mistletoe above the threshold
acted as a charm for good luck throughout the coming year. Sacred candles were lit,
and new fires kindled to symbolize the returning light. Turning the Wheel of The Year back toward the
sun helped cultures through time before mind connect with cycles of Earth and
understand our reciprocal needs.
Christmas or The
Mass of the Christos-December 25, 2017
Literally Christmas means the mass of
Christ—a ritual ceremony. Unable to
compete with the boisterous Pagan celebrations, early Christians in the second
and third centuries moved the celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth to
its December 25th date. The
Christian celebration of the Sun of God was more easily assimilated by cultures
who for eons ceremonied the annual return of the Sun. Thus, son as Light of the World became
synonymous with the solar sun. Questions
over the validity of lunar calendars resulted in solar calendars dating back to
ancient Egypt. In 45 BC Julius Caesar
established the Julian Calendar with 365 days and a leap year every fourth
year. In 1582 the Gregorian Calendar was
developed which parallels our modern constructs of time. Political dissention within the Catholic
church created a liturgical difference that left Roman Catholics adhering to
the December 25th Christmas day and Eastern Orthodox believers
celebrating it a full 12 days later.
Christmas was thus celebrated as a time to pay homage for the gift of
Light, literal and figurative.
Kwanzaa-December 26, 2017-January 1, 2017
A modern Black American celebration developed
following the 1965-Watts riots in Los Angeles, Kwanzaa was conceived by Dr.
Maulana Karenga to help African-Americans reconnect with their heritage. The holiday is celebrated for seven days from
December 26th to January 1st. Each day focuses on one of seven goals or
Nguzo Saba (the seven principles of Kwanzaa).
The Nguzo Saba are:
Unity (Umoja) – Black Candle
Self-Determination (Kujichagulia) – Green
Candle
Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima) –
Green Candle
Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa) – Green Candle
Purpose (Nia) – Red Candle
Creativity (Huumba) – Red Candle
Faith (Imani) – Red Candle
The words are Swahili, the most commonly
shared language in Africa. A Kinara
(kee-nah-rah) much like the Jewish menorah holds one candle for each day of
Kwanzaa. The black candle is lit first with
the remaining six on each of the following days. A ritual feast called the Karamu is the
highlight of the holiday on the sixth day.
The altar features a straw mat called a Mkeka (m-kay-cah) where
traditional items are placed for a sense of foundation. Muhindi (Moo-heen-dee), ears of corn,
symbolize the children and the ability of offspring to produce thus
immortalizing a nation and culture. The
Kikombe Cha Umoja (kee-coam-bay chah-oo-moe-jah) is the cup of unity in honor
of ancestors. The Zawadi (sah-wah-dee)
or gifts represent the fruits of the parents and the rewards of their seeds
sown in their children. The focus of
Kwanzaa is to relate to the past in order to understand the present and deal
with the future. The purpose is to
maintain history. The sense of direction
is to practice principles the assisted ancestors with life’s challenges. And the goal of Kwanzaa is to develop
positive Black self-esteem as a culturally desirable pattern of principles.
12
Holy Days Candle Ceremony-December 26, 2017-January 6, 2018 (All Kings Day in
Mexico-Eastern Orthodox Christmas)
Following is a synthesized celebration of the
12 Holy Days Candle Ceremony. This can
be undertaken following traditional Christmas or twelve days before the New
Year. You will need candles of the following colors: 12 White (Purity); 6 Pink
(Love); 6 Yellow (Creation); 5 Blue (Communication; 3 Purple (Divinity); 2
Green (Wealth); and 2 Red (Passion for Life)—36 candles in all. This
traditionally had a Saint associated with each day. To make it more universally usable, I made
some changes.
Day
One -Begin with the zodiacal sign of Aries and light one each white, pink
and yellow candle signifying new beginnings and creation. Spiritual Center: Crown
Day
Two - Celebrate home and hearth as Taurus.
Light one each white, yellow and purple candle to create love,
harmony and humility within your dwelling.
Spiritual Center: Throat.
Day
Three – Visual Gemini with hands of healing, peace and understanding by lighting
one each white, pink, and green candle.
Spiritual Center: Hands
Day
Four – Focus on transformation and soul as truth
by acknowledging Cancer and light
one each white, blue, and pink candle.
Spiritual Center: Solar Plexus.
Day
Five – Behold the power of love and the benefit
of releasing old sorrows to embrace new joys as Leo. Light one each white,
pink, and purple candle. Spiritual
Center: Heart
Day
Six – See the Virgin Virgo as symbol of purification (Jesus’ purported birth sign).
Light one each white, purple, and green candle.
Focus on service. Spiritual
Center: Intestinal Tract
Day
Seven – See beauty in all things expressing Divine
attributes as Libra—balancer. Light white, yellow, and blue candles. Spiritual Center: Adrenals
Day
Eight – Transmute matter, honor the life and death
cycles and express compassion as Scorpio. Light white, yellow, and pink candles and
purify your heart. Spiritual Center:
Reproductive Generative System.
Day
Nine – Become the light of the world as Sagittarius and focus on the mastery of
Intent—your life work. Light white,
yellow, and red candles. Spiritual
Center: Solar Plexus
Day
Ten – Humble yourself, surrender to access the
Christos consciousness within. Light
white, yellow, and blue candles to signify Capricorn.
Spiritual Center: Knees.
Day
Eleven – Embrace the Universe in the perfection
with a broad love of humanity expressed in Aquarius. Spiritual Center: Lower limbs
Day
Twelve – See yourself as a piece of God spirit or
the oneness as human form Divine manifest through Pisces and declare the “I Am” within and without. Walk you talk (i.e. peace walk of The Peace
Pilgrim) Spiritual Center: Feet
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