The seasons of the winter solstice. Winter solstice. solstice. astronomical new year and occasion for magic

The winter solstice December 21-22 is the antagonist of the summer solstice. In winter it's the day itself long night. Beyond the Arctic Circle, the sun does not rise below the horizon until spring. The winter solstice may fall on December 21 or 22. In 2014, this date is December 21st.

First a little scientific facts. December 21 daylight hours Russian cities will be: Moscow - 7 hours, St. Petersburg - 5-45, Murmansk - 19 minutes! The polar night at the latitude of Murmansk lasts 40 days - from December 2 to January 10.

The winter solstice, with the shortest day, is considered the astronomical beginning of winter. After this date, the day begins to gradually increase, and the night to decrease, until they are equal on the day of the vernal equinox. and the longest night, and the turning point, saturated with the maximum energy of the universe.
Before the adoption of Christianity, most of the peoples of our planet lived according to the true calendar, which corresponded to astronomical events - such as the solstices and equinoxes.
At the time of the winter solstice, on the subtle energy-informational plan, the whole next year has already been formed - this is not just a washed-out short day

The ancient Slavs believed that after the day of December 21 a new sun is born, and therefore they celebrated the beginning of the new year. The main attribute of the celebration was a bonfire, personifying the light of the sun, life, which, after the longest night of the year, had to rise higher and higher. Ate a pie on a holiday - a loaf round shape- also a reminder of the sun.

On the shortest day, the forces of the Sun turn on - it is “born”, along with the length of the day, the strength of the Sun also grows. During this period, a person has a new impulse of his "I", which allows him to turn on the intention to achieve the goal.

What to do on the shortest day?

What is special to do on the winter solstice? Get rid of worries, troubles, everyday thoughts. Calm down, restore peace in the soul. It is good to spend a day in a noisy company of friends, relatives and loved ones to make relationships even stronger.

history of the holiday

Since ancient times, for the Slavs, it was customary to consider the new year not January 1, but the day of the winter solstice, which this year falls on21 December. It is on this day that our luminary turns its course towards an increase in daylight hours. And it was this day for our ancestors that was the first day of winter.Kolyaden began - the first month of winter and the new year. On the eve of it, for the Slavs, the longest and most mysterious night of the year, which was called Karachun, was also listed. Subsequently, the image of grandfather Karachun, who fettered the earth with cold and frost, turned into a modern Santa Claus, devoid of the severity and ferocity of his prototype.

May the day of the winter solstice be another good occasion for you to touch the unknown and help you make new step towards the realization of your dreams.

This knowledge was actively used in practice by ancient people. Each nation has developed its own calendar of important events. The key position in this calendar was occupied by the solstice.

Winter Solstice: What an Event

The solstice is understood as an astronomical event, consisting in the fact that the sun occupies either the highest or the most low point relative to the earth's horizon. This event affects the length of the day, it lasts either maximum amount time per year, or the minimum.

The solstice can be observed twice a year, in winter and summer. Winter solstice characterized by the minimum length of the day and the maximum length of the night. The summer solstice is exactly the opposite of the winter solstice in terms of the length of the day and night.

In 2017, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 at 16:27 GMT or at 19:27 Moscow time.

Winter Solstice Traditions

The winter solstice is traditionally celebrated in many cultures. The ancient Celts equated the birth of a new sun with Yule.

The decoration of the house on this day should have been special. First of all, this fir branches. They were hung everywhere: above the entrance to the house, between the interior doors, inserted into the windows, laid out on the fireplace. Be sure to put something symbolizing the sun in the center of the largest room of the house, in which it was customary to gather guests. It could have been an orange, a craft of golden, sunlight.

On the day when the old sun went to rest, large ritual bonfires were kindled. These bonfires were specially prayed for so that they would help the birth of a new sun, help to maintain its strength at the initial stages.

Eastern Slavs at the same time celebrated Kolyada. Kolyada in Slavic mythology- the god of the new sun. His other names: Caledi, Cadmus, Kolodiy. This deity symbolized the transition of the year. Among the people, the day of his veneration came on the day after the winter solstice. This day was considered the Slavic New Year.

They celebrated the day of Kolyada on a special scale, arranged songs, folk dances. The traditions of the day were especially concerned with gifts. On Kolyada it was customary to give a gift, albeit a small one, to everyone close person. The Slavs believed that the god of the new sun is not favorable to stingy people, and does not illuminate their lives. sunlight. It was believed that a stingy person who did not please a single person on New Year's Eve would live in darkness all year.

Winter solstice: how to spend

December 21 marks the end of another solar year. Already on the 22nd, the sun will rise again, and will already be renewed. The countdown of the new solar year will begin. end of the solar year good time for various practices, ceremonies and rituals.

• Conduct meditations. A good effect will be from cleansing meditations that help to get rid of something unnecessary, obsolete. It is also recommended, after cleansing, to switch to the visualization of plans for the new solar year. Prepare yourself a to-do list ahead of time. Before meditation, this list should be read, and closing your eyes, imagine that everything has already happened. If these plans are really worthwhile and at the moment of visualization strong vibrations of the energy plan were sent, everything conceived will be realized in a short time.
• Make a wish. Traditionally, a wish is made on the day of the calendar change. Asking for something cherished and intimate on the day of the winter solstice is akin to making a wish on a shooting star on New Year's Eve.
• Do magical work. Recommended focus: increase in strength, replenishment of stock vital energy, healing from bodily and mental ailments, well-being and prosperity.
• Conduct divination. You can tell fortunes for love using a mirror, or for next year.
• Get out. For something good to come into life, you need to clear the space for it. You should clean the room, throw away all the old, broken things. All things that were not useful for the year should be collected in boxes and taken to people in need. It will not be superfluous to wash the doorways, the threshold, and most importantly the windows. It is through them that flows of power enter the house. Cluttered space interferes with the implementation of plans and the fulfillment of desires.
• Let go of the past that has become obsolete. On December 21, right at sunset, you should go outside or open the window wide. Take a piece of paper and a pen with you. While the old sun goes below the horizon, you need to try to remember all the bad and all the negative things that happened during the current year. It can be relationships with people, people themselves, diseases, litigation, job change, loss of money, unpleasant conflict situations. All this must be written on paper, and then this paper should be burned with fire. Leave to burn out just before the setting sun. All bad things will go away, along with the old sun. And the next morning, along with the new sun, the long-awaited cleansing and relief will come.

rituals

The day of the winter solstice carries a special magic, and this magic must certainly be used to your advantage. There are several well-established rituals.

Seed of Intention

The ritual is performed alone. It is undesirable to tell anyone about it. You need to go to the market or to a flower shop on the day the sun stands and buy any one seed there. This seed must be brought home, put in a cloth moistened with water and whisper the words of an old conspiracy over it:

“A seed and a seed, yes, in truth, I intend (what do you want to do next year, for example, buy a car), so that my intention comes true, germinates, roots firmly into the ground. It will be the same way, and so be it. Amen".

The seed must be placed in a cup or pot of earth. Exactly seven days the earth needs to be watered, but not much. Then water it every month for full moon. The seed must remain in this land until spring. In the spring, dig a hole in the street under any tree that has not dried up and place the earth along with the seed in this hole. If by that time something has grown, it will still need to be transplanted under a tree. Within a month after that, the intention will begin to come true.

healing bath

When there is a change of the sun, there is also a renewal of man. This process is inevitable, a person is subject to the influence of heavenly bodies. Updating can be very painful, especially if a person is not ready for it. Cleansing with healing water can help speed up and smooth this process.

To do this, you need to fill the bath with water at a comfortable temperature. Arrange candles throughout the bathroom, light them, turn off the main light. Turn on calm, relaxing music. Get in the bath and close your eyes. First you need to imagine how the body becomes very heavy. So heavy that the water stops pushing the body to the water surface.

After that, you need to tighten up a bit. Imagine that dark streams went from the body into the water. These streams should go out and at the same time bring relief to the body and soul. You need to wait until the body becomes quite easy. Only after that you can drain the water, while you still need to lie down and imagine that everything bad is flowing along with it.

cherished desire

This ritual is suitable for those who have a desire that has never been voiced out loud. This important rule, since spoken aloud is no longer considered cherished desire. This desire, without saying it out loud, must be rewritten on a blank piece of paper. Then roll this piece of paper into a thin tube.

After that, light a thick candle. You will also need a fireproof container. Set fire to the sheet from one end, and while it burns you need to hold it over this container, saying:

“Silent, and in that cherished, that in a secret corner - that in my soul, everything is on fire - all that flame will swallow, everything that goes into space, everything, then up to higher powers will come. And from them it will come back - yes, fulfilled, but such that contentment will come. Yes, such that dissatisfaction will go away. Let it go - it will be fulfilled, it will come true, but the forces will not be forgotten.

After that, let the sheet burn completely in a refractory container. The ashes will need to be collected in a small bag. As soon as there is a blizzard outside or strong wind this ashes must be thrown out into the street. All rituals must be performed on the day of the winter solstice.

December 21 (the date is indicated for 2016) is the day of the winter solstice. The solstice is one of the two days of the year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is at its minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in a year - winter and summer.

On the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest point on the horizon.

In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, which is when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts every year, since the duration of the solar year does not coincide with calendar time.

After the longest night of the year, which lasts about 17 hours, a real astronomical winter will come. The sun will descend as much as possible into the southern hemisphere of the sky, that is, moving along the ecliptic, it will reach its lowest declination. The longitude of the day at the latitude of Moscow will be 7 hours. The sun crosses the 18 hour meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic. This means that after crossing the celestial equator, the luminary will begin its journey to spring equinox.

During the winter solstice, the sun does not rise at all above a latitude of 66.5 degrees - only twilight in these latitudes indicates that it is somewhere below the horizon. At the North Pole of the Earth, not only the Sun is not visible, but also twilight, and the location of the luminary can only be recognized by the constellations. On December 21, the sun crosses the 18 hour meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic, beginning its journey to the vernal equinox when it crosses the celestial equator.

Day of the winter solstice among the ancient Slavs

The winter solstice has been observed since ancient times. So, in Russian folklore, a proverb is dedicated to this day: the sun - for the summer, winter - for the frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. According to the winter solstice, they judged the future harvest: frost on the trees - to a rich harvest of grain.

In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell warden of the Moscow cathedral, who was responsible for the chiming of the clock, came to bow to the tsar. He reported that from now on the sun turned to summer, the day is added, and the night is reduced. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.

The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the day of the winter solstice, it was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, had to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's cake - a loaf - also resembled the sun in shape.

The day of pagan veneration of Karachun (the second name of Chernobog) falls on the day of the winter solstice (celebrated depending on the year from December 19 to 22) - the shortest day of the year and one of the coldest days of winter. It was believed that on this day the formidable Karachun, the deity of death, takes his power, underground god who rules the frost evil spirit. The ancient Slavs believed that he commands winter and frost and shortens the daylight hours.

The servants of the formidable Karachun are bears-rods, in which snowstorms turn around, and snowstorms-wolves. It was believed that, according to the bear’s desire, the icy winter also lasts: the bear will turn in his lair on the other side, which means that winter has exactly half the way to spring. Hence the saying: "At the Solstice, the bear in the den turns from one side to the other." Among the people, the concept of "karachun" in the sense of death, death is still used. They say, for example: “a karachun came to him”, “wait for a karachun”, “ask a karachun”, “grabbed a karachun”. On the other hand, the word "karachit" can have the following meanings - backing backwards, crawling, "scrambled" - writhed, crumpled. Perhaps Karachun was called that precisely because he, as it were, forced daytime go in the opposite direction, back away, crawl, giving way to the night.

Gradually, in the minds of the people, Karachun became close to Frost, who fetters the earth with cold, as if plunging it into a mortal sleep. This is a more harmless image than the harsh Karachun. Frost is simply the master of winter cold.

Winter Solstice in Other Nations

In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivities dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and the renewal of nature.

On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland it was customary to launch the sun wheel - the "solstice". The barrel was smeared with burning tar and let down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and looked like a luminary.

The winter solstice was determined before all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). IN ancient China it was believed that from that time the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation.

The army was brought into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people went to visit each other, gave each other gifts.

The Chinese made sacrifices to the god of Heaven and ancestors, and also ate porridge made from beans and sticky rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. Until now, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.

In India, the winter solstice - Sankranti - is celebrated in Hindu and Sikh communities, where bonfires are lit on the night before the celebration, the heat of which symbolizes the warmth of the sun, which begins to warm the earth after the winter cold.

The calendar of Russian folk signs will take December 21 (December 8, old style) - Anfisa Needlewoman

On this day, Saint Anfisa of Rome is commemorated, who suffered for the Christian faith in the 5th century. Anfisa was the wife of a Roman dignitary and professed Christianity (according to legend, she was baptized by St. Ambrose of Milan, whose memory is celebrated the day before). Once the wife of the mayor suggested that she accept Arian baptism (the Arian doctrine denied the unity of God the Father and Jesus Christ). Anfisa refused and, on the woman's slander, was burned at the stake.

On Anfisa, all girls in Rus' were supposed to do needlework: spin, weave, sew, embroider. It was desirable to do this alone, and if it didn’t work out or didn’t want to retire, it was necessary to conduct special rituals from spoilage.

The girl sews on Anfisa, but an extra eye while sewing is for the evil eye, our ancestors said and advised young needlewomen to wrap a silk thread around their wrists so as not to prick their fingers with a needle. The same rite protected from yawning and hiccups.

The embroidery itself also had magic power, in which various symbols were often encrypted. So, rhombuses on towels meant fertility; round rosettes and cruciform figures on clothes protected its owner from misfortunes. In traditional embroidery patterns, there are also images of the sun, trees, birds, personifying the vital forces of nature. Our ancestors believed in their strength, believing that they would bring prosperity and prosperity to the house.

In different cultures, the interpretation of this event was perceived differently, but for most peoples it was regarded as a revival, at this time holidays, meetings, rituals and other celebrations were held.

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The winter solstice was extremely important in the life of the primitive community, because people were not sure that they had prepared well for winter during the previous nine months, and that they would be able to survive this winter. Hunger was common during the winter period, from January to April, this stretch of the year is known as the famine months. IN temperate climate the midwinter festival was the last festival before the onset of the rough winter period. Most of the cattle were slaughtered at this time, as there was nothing to feed them during the winter, so the time of the winter solstice was the only period of the year when fresh meat was consumed the most. At this time, most of the wine and beer, made during the warm season, finally reached the readiness, and it was possible to drink it. Festivities were held not only directly on this day, they began at midnight or at dawn, and most often the day before.

Since the winter solstice is a pivotal event in the presence of the Sun in the sky, it gave rise to the widespread concept of the birth or rebirth of the gods. In the culture of many peoples, cyclic calendars are based on the winter solstice, the resurgent year is celebrated, a symbol of “new beginnings”, such as, for example, the cleansing tradition of Hogmanay in Scotland. IN Greek mythology gods and goddesses met winter and summer solstice, these days the god Hades was allowed to appear on Mount Olympus (his kingdom was underworld, and at any other time he was not supposed to leave there).

Holidays of the winter solstice

The winter solstice is celebrated in almost all world cultures. IN Christian Churches Those who switched to the Gregorian calendar celebrate Christmas these days. It should be noted that Orthodoxy uses the Julian calendar, according to which the date of Christmas coincided with the winter solstice 2 thousand years ago, but now it has shifted half a month later. The Slavs on the day of the winter solstice celebrated folk holiday Kolyada, among the Germanic peoples - Yule, among the Romans until the 3rd century - Sol Invictus.

Observations

Direct observation of the solstice by amateurs is difficult because the sun moves rather slowly towards the solstice, so it is difficult to determine its particular day, let alone its instant. Knowing the timing of an event's origin has only recently been made possible down to almost instantaneous times by precise tracking of astronomical data. The actual moment of the solstice cannot be detected by definition (it is impossible to notice that the object has stopped moving, it can only be stated that in the current measurement the object has not changed its position compared to the previous measurement, or has moved in the opposite direction). In addition, to determine the event with an accuracy of one day, one must be able to observe changes in azimuth and height less than 1/60 of the angular diameter of the Sun. A similar definition, accurate to within two days, is easier, requiring an observational error of only about 1/16 of the Sun's angular diameter. Thus, most observations state the day of the solstice, and not its instant. Often this is done by observing the sunrise and sunset, with an astronomically calibrated instrument that ensures that a beam of light passes to a certain point at exactly the right time.