Solstice, Christmas, Mithra(s) and Goddesses

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golly
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Solstice, Christmas, Mithra(s) and Goddesses

Post by golly »

How long have the Gods told us to ignore the Goddesses?

To me, the anthropomorphized Sun fits the prototype of a feminine character. Life-giving, life-supporting, nourishing, warm and radiant. As such, each of the days that celebrate Her motions, movements and shifts (i.e. equinoxes and solstices) are Goddess days.

According to some historians, the birth of Christ was moved from May 20th — a date that coincidentally marks essentially one "moon" (month) from the Summer Solstice — to December 25th (the traditional Winter Solstice) in the 4th century when Mithra/Mithras worshiper Emperor Constantine wanted the relatively new Christians (seen by some in the way we view a cult that expanded into power) to honor common practices. It was common practice in many religions at the time, including Mithraism, to celebrate the traditional Winter Solstice date.

For over 1000 years, predating Greek and Roman Empires, the date was already celebrated by others. Mithra, a Persian God, was born in a cave on December 25 and was known for growing up to become the bringer of light. He would bring the sun behind him as well as gifts. Mithra was born to a young virgin woman of 15 years, and some male ageless God. Three wise men were said to have come to the humble cave bearing gifts to welcome this God to the world. It was a time in traditional celebrations commemorating the date to exchange gifts, set up and decorate a tree and celebrate the coming return of sacred sunlight. This makes sense because Winter Solstice was sometimes said to be observed astronomically as a sort of three day event around the 21st. The 25th's sky would be well clear of the sinking motion of the Sun and distinctly display its rise.

To me it is logical to ask: why was the nourishing Sun depicted as male? What occurred to overthrow the Goddesses?

Historian, anthropologist and researcher Marija Gimbutas discovered evidence that the Goddess cultures of ancient Europe (circa 6000 B.C.E.) were overthrown by warrior men from the East, who came to impose religions that separated our connections to the Earth, to the land, to the Mother Goddess if you will, and to much of our authentic power as European races. They meant to replace it with a different power that they felt they could control. I would assess this as a more "artificial" power because of its novelty (in the negative sense) at the time; it placed the Gods not near us, nourishing and loving, but far away, above, in the sky, distant and judgemental. It took away power from the community and specifically women in the community. I'd sense that was already a pretty bad idea, but especially based on the wars and suffering that has come since.


The Chain of colonizing the Solstice

Mithraist settlements were colonized by Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster also had a celebration of the Sun returning on December 25th associated with him.

Greek God of the Sun Apollo also had his own chariot, like Mithra.

I wonder how much the Persian Empire "brought" this depiction of a Sun God to Greek neighbors, informing their own ideas about Apollo.

Coming back to Constantine, it seems to me based on others' historical assessments I've heard that the year 350 C.E.-era Christians wanted to keep their religion "pure" for a while, and although they agreed to the 25th of December, they resented it. Hence, much later, Puritans would suggest that the true birth of Christ Jesus be celebrated as intended on May 20th. And this would remain the same for years until gradually this 25th of December date "absorbed" the Christian celebration, where it joined Mithra and ancient Solstice celebrations.

However, a millenium and a half later, American cartoonist Thomas Nast didn't just merge the day of poor-supporting, gift-giving Saint Nick (December 6th) with December 25th, but actually depicted Santa Claus as a figure that was, like Mithra, on a sort of chariot sailing through the sky bringing gifts. Perhaps the actual solar body the Sun, a subconsciously Goddess-like figure based on our ancient Goddess religions, was left out of this depiction as an attempt, conscious or not, to drive a final "nail" in a coffin of a Sun Goddess.

But it seems the Goddess doesn't die like that. She rises again, each Winter, bringing back her healing and nourishing warmth. So however many thousands of years the male imperial monotheist Gods colonize and replace each other, each insisting they are the sole proprietor of the day — Mithra, Zoroaster, Jesus or Santa Claus — we can still bask in the Sun ourselves, be healed by Her, make a personal connection to Her, and celebrate Her to this day. Indeed, it seems many of the male Gods admire Her enough to devise ways of claiming to bring Her around in their favorite ride. Perhaps, they don't realize She goes where She wants, when She wants, regardless of many millenia of courtisans claiming Her power.


Other Traditional Celebrations that resemble what we call "Christmas"

To add to the remarkably universal recognition of December 25 as the "end of Winter" in Northern continents, we also have a Saint Nick-like figure in the hunter-shaman of the far North. In tundra cultures, I think there is an impressive people who allow the snow to rise all around their homes, to the point that entrance and exit of the home was accomplished through a central hole — a chimney. It was during the solstice that mushroom hunters would not just bring back nourishment but also amanita mushrooms. They would wear strong black Winter boots and perhaps even dyed red suits and come down the chimney with presents and food. And they would bring back this classic red and white mushroom as part of a sacred rite or praxis in which hallucinations would be induced for those ready for the experience.

The special dream states could put humans in touch with elementals and people of the fae realm. Today, Saint Nicholas is conflated with the Dutch Sinterklaas (himself from the original historical human being, an early Christian bishop of Myra, a settlement now considered in modern day Turkey) and the mystical Elf being "Santa Claus".

The so-called "Christmas" tree was possibly an ancient practice before Bavarian/Bohemian/Germanic Christians did it. It would make some sense that a practice related to Druidism (the worship of trees) might cross over culturally in some way. However, I do think Druids greatly respect the forest, and the Good People of the forest who watch over life and wild, and therefore would not dare cut a tree stem for no reasons. I would guess that the decorating tree tradition, which occasionally seems like sacrifice of a perfectly healthy being, was something that became distorted from its original form, which was to literally go into the woods to celebrate a tree's life.

In that sense, the tree would be kept right where it's happiest, covered in offerings and lights as usual, and then the decorations could be removed through some other tradition or practice, and the tree would continue to grow and mature as usual. At least, I hope and sense that is a respectful observation and celebration of life. If a tree were cut, I would greatly hope that it was done with solemnity and respect, and each part of the tree were harvested and used for building materials, medicine, and so on.

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