Advent of the Sun Altar: Third Week, Third Candle

[Background info about this series of posts found here]

Each night brings growing darkness as the days become shorter. May we use this time to look inside, be introspective, and listen to our souls --

Darkness deserves gratitude.

It is the alleluia point at which

we learn to understand that

all growth does not take place in the sunlight.

--Joan Chittister, Uncommon Gratitude

You are welcome to join me again next Sunday!

[Photos #1 and #2 © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]

Advent of the Sun Altar: Second Week, Second Candle

[Background info about this series of posts found here]

A meditation on the interplay of Darkness and Light in this time of waiting before the Winter Solstice:

We honour the growing Darkness.

We do not fear, avoid or fight it.

Without the dark, there are no dreams,

no healing sleep to refresh us,

no deep growth necessary for life.

We arise with the returning Light.

No matter how deep the descent,

the Light does return.

--paraphrased from Joanna Powell Colbert

You are welcome to join me again next Sunday!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]

Advent of the Sun Altar: First Week, First Candle

Many Christians observe Advent with a wreath and candle-lighting ritual over the course of 5 weeks leading up to the birth of Jesus on Christmas. By way of one example, blogging buddy Willym always marks Advent with special posts on his blog every year.

The pagan equivalent is an Advent of the Sun Altar with a wreath and candle-lighting ritual over the course of 5 weeks leading up to the rebirth of the Sun on the Winter Solstice. For the first time, I'm trying my hand at creating such an altar.

My evergreen wreath and candles are flanked by Sankta Lucia, the Goddess of the Winter Solstice (given to me by my sister in 2019) and a charming Canadian Angel (given to me by blogging buddy Robyn Alana Engel a few years ago). There are 4 candles in the centre of the wreath which will be cumulatively lit one at a time each Sunday night leading up to the Winter Solstice on December 21, when the 5th and final candle will be lit.

This countdown to the Winter Solstice is a meditative and contemplative act. In darkness, the candle(s) are lit, their light celebrated in a way that is meaningful to the celebrant and then extinguished. Time is also taken to experience the full darkness. Both holy light and sacred darkness bring blessings and healing.

Here is the First Candle --

You are welcome to join me again next Sunday!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]

Party Time!

HRH the Cat and I wish you

a Happy Winter Solstice!

Come by and say "Hi!"

There will be snacks

and a cup of cheer!

Holy Darkness, Holy Light

Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere when the longest night gives way to the returning light of the shortest day. But the Winter Solstice is not best interpreted as the badness of darkness being overcome by the goodness of light. Both darkness and light are sacred, numinous states of being. Holy Darkness is where rest, rejuvenation, healing and transformation occur so that we may benefit more fully from acts of growth and creation in the Holy Light. 

Once again, the artist and mystic Joanna Powell Colbert has caught this deeper meaning and connection in her latest artistic work in progress called Mother of Night. She holds the centre of the Wheel of the Year close to her heart, nurturing in the darkness the transformation of the Samhain Crone into the Child of Wonder preparing to be born again at the Winter Solstice.

Joanna is currently creating an oracle deck and book based on the Wheel of the Year, the lunar cycle, and the seasons of our lives. I'm looking forward to getting a copy when it is ready!

Winter Solstice Blessings

To All Who Celebrate!

Longest Night, Shortest Day

The Winter Solstice is always a time of contemplation and reflection. The Wheel turns, the Seasons change, the Light returns. So what better time to consult the tarot or an oracle deck for a little wisdom and guidance? 

For that purpose, here's a special Winter Solstice Spread by wise woman and tarot artist Joanna Powell Colbert --

Pull a tarot or oracle card to spark a response, then finish the following sentences:

1. The gift of the nurturing darkness is ...
2. The promise of the returning sun is ...
3. I find potential or hope for my personal life through ...
4. One action I can take to offer hope and renewal to the larger community is ...
5. Today, my Holy Helpers most want me to know ...

If you make use of this Spread, I hope it enhances the beauty and wonder of this special day for you!

Winter Solstice Blessings!

Winter Solstice Blessings

You know, I wasn't even going 

to bother decorating for 

the holidays this year. 

But getting out my Sankta Lucia statue 

to photograph her for this earlier post 

inspired me to dig through a few 

drawers and cupboards and 

LO AND BEHOLD

all of a sudden I had put together 

a nice little Winter Solstice 

altar arrangement on my sideboard.

So now on this, the shortest day

following the longest night,

I WISH YOU ALL --

[First photo © Debra She Who Seeks, December 2020;

Second image comes from the internet]

Happy Winter Solstice!

Singing Through the Darkest Night

Night of long darkness

Candles burn

Songs call the light:

"Return, touch our hearts"

The Winter Solstice is here -- the longest night and shortest day of the year.

When Darkness and Light spiral together . . . 

. . . in the Eternal Dance.

Winter Solstice blessings to you all!

[All photos from the Internet]

Winter Solstice Blessings to You All!

The Moon is Mother to the Sun

Today is the Winter Solstice, when pagans celebrate the return of the Light following the longest Night of the year. Artist, blogger and tarot guru Joanna Powell Colbert has created a wonderful new image to capture this ancient spiritual truth. Officially entitled Mother Night Who Gives Birth to the Child of Wonder at Winter Solstice, Joanna also calls this artwork by a much shorter title: Dark Madonna & Daughter.

Joanna describes the piece as "the archetypal Divine Child, born on Winter Solstice . . . [who] glow[s] like the reborn sun in the arms of the holy night." The title of my post comes from an equally perceptive description of the artwork by a 4-year old girl whom Joanna quotes in her December newsletter.

The 2015 Winter Solstice arrives in the northern hemisphere on Tuesday, December 22 at 04:49 UTC but time zone differences mean that it arrives here in Edmonton, Alberta today at 21:49 MST. So I'm celebrating now, although a lot of you will mark the occasion tomorrow instead.

To all who read my blog, may the blessings of the Mother and Daughter be yours on this Winter Solstice and throughout the upcoming year!

[Art © 2015 by Joanna Powell Colbert and used with her permission. Joanna's website and blog are here and her art prints may be purchased here.]

Blessings of the Winter Solstice

Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight.

--Joan Chittister, Uncommon Gratitude

As we celebrate the return of the Light, may we nevertheless continue to benefit from the peace and nurturing to be found in the Darkness.

Deep peace of the midwinter stars to you, my Solstice friends.

Happy Winter Solstice!

That's right! Strip off and run around with flaming torches, everyone! Let's all welcome the Return of the Light in the old-fashioned way!

It's hard to believe that a whole year has passed since the much-ballyhooed End of the World on the 2012 Winter Solstice. Remember how nervous some people were at this time last year?

And Now, the Post-Mortem (So To Speak)

Winter Solstice Blessings

So today will tell whether we survive another predicted End of the World. But while we're waiting to find out what happens, let's all have a nice eggnog with rum and celebrate the Winter Solstice, shall we?

May the Holly Goddess shower an abundance of Solstice/Yule blessings on you and yours! And always remember . . . .