Winter Solstice Information.

[Tehuti-4]

The winter solstice is the holiest of all religious ceremonies of all nations of antiquity. Its importance can be appreciated when it is known that the greatest architectural marvels of antiquity were constructed with it in mind. These were the pyramid of Khufu (Gizeh), of the Mayas, Aztecs, Incas of Peru, and Stonehenge. These massive structures were primarily constructed for the purpose of accurately tracking the date of the occurrence of the solstice. Yet, the meaning of the solstice has been virtually lost to most people today, and it survives in a distorted empty manner in a number of contemporary religious ceremonies.



In order to understand the phenomena of the solstice we must turn to astronomy. Bear with me for a short course. The earth has three motions; rotation around its axis that gives us the daily variation in light, temperature, humidity, and electro-magnetic energy; the revolution around the sun which clocks the solar months (and zodiacal signs) and the declination “of the sun” which gives us the four seasons—annual variation of light, temperature, humidity, and electro-magnetic energy. The one that concerns us most is the last motion—the declination “of the sun.” Let’s explain it.



Winter in the northern hemisphere (North America, Asia, etc.) is created by the fact that the north pole along with the northern hemisphere of the earth inclines away from the sun. At the same time the south pole inclines towards the sun creating summer in the Southern hemisphere. Spring and Autumn are the mid points in the earth-sun declination. Thus, throughout the course of the year, the north pole swings from an extreme northern inclination / away from the sun, becomes parallel to the sun | at the spring, and inclines towards the sun \ during the summer months. For northern hemisphere dwellers, the winter solstice occurs at the extreme declination of the north pole away from the sun. This occurs on December 21st to 24th. The summer solstice occurs at the extreme declination towards the sun on June 21st to 24th—exactly six months apart. June 21st and September 21st are the mid-points between the solstices and correspond to the Vernal (spring) equinox and the autumnal equinox respectively.



The meaning of it all? It’s in the vegetative kingdom—a secret held in the empress card of the Tarot or Het-Heru (the imagination or astral light of the world), which we will later explore. The vegetative kingdom strictly follows the seasons. Springs corresponds to the renewal of vegetative external activity; summer to its full flowering and production; autumn to its withdrawal from external manifestations, and winter to its full internalization or slumber. But do not be fooled. In the same way that sleep is a very active internal state, while one is externally inactive so is vegetative nature. It is not lying inactive. It is actively renewing and preparing for the manifestations of the spring. The most important lesson that we must extract from this is the fact that vegetative productivity is not constant all year long. It is subject to an annual cycle of withdrawal/regeneration and externalization/productivity. Once we understand that man also has a vegetative faculty that follows the same exact law, then the message becomes clear. The manifestations in man’s life are carried out by the vegetative part of man’s being—man’s mind, especially the imagination. The force that keeps habits in place reaches their weakest point at the winter solstice giving us the greatest ability to reprogram the mind (the vegetative nature). It is then that we are most capable in recreating ourselves to manifest a more positive self image, and for sowing the seeds of things we want to manifest in our lives. While the will can maintain a daily effort to achieve a goal, the mind’s ability to manifest the dictates of the will is pegged to an annual cycle that is marked by the solstices and the equinoxes. These four points of the year are key correspondences in the reference to the sacred number 4.



It is the height of sadness that this time of year, the height of man’s spirit’s receptivity to change and impregnation with the seeds of things to come catches the majority of the world’s population drunk, eating garbage, partying, and engaged in empty material pursuits and ceremonies. It is the best time to recommit oneself to the path, to change direction in life, to declare the will to achieve the most important projects in life, and so on.



The winter solstice corresponds to the 24th hexagram of the I Ching. It states that in times of old, the kings closed the gates to the city and everyone stayed in meditating on the “return” to the way (the Tao). Yes! This is the time that you must spend the four days and four nights of the winter solstice (the summer solstice also has its purpose) meditating on the divine laws that are the embodiment of your divine self image; nurturing your mind with the teachings of antiquity; focusing on your spirituality; and impregnating in your mind the images of the things you are seeking to achieve in life—as a divine being going forth. The meditation should be conducted intensely at least until the spring. The winter solstice simply marks the point around which your mind is most receptive to change in its conditionings.

Two to three days before the 21st it is advised that you should fast or observe a strict and clean organic vegetarian diet which must be maintained for the four days of the solstice and the twelve days following.

To assist you in the meditation that you must focus on we have put together the Winter Solstice guided meditation CD, and the Weighing of the Heart guided meditation CD, which can be purchased at Taui We have attached a few minutes of the CD in this blog.



Hetep, Ra Un Nefer Amen. A good year and a good life to You!