December 21st is one of the four cosmic dates connected to the journey of our blue princess’s journey around its father, the Sun.

During its journey round the Sun the planet goes through four special and crucial points: the two equinoxes and the two solstices. Each one of these four special days is the first day of a new season and holds in it special cosmic opportunities.

Many cultures have chosen traditionally to celebrate these special days, and one of these most special days is the winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere) celebrated today by Christmas and Hanukah.

But these holidays are the remains of even more ancient traditions celebrated by Pagan cultures in even earlier times.

In ancient times the Romans  celebrated a 7- days- long “Saturnalia” around the winter solstice – a celebration for the God Saturn, who is also the ruler of Capricorn and Aquarius, the first and second signs of winter.

Christmas is the day the Savior was born, the son of the Sun, who gave us his light, who dies and is then resurrected.

The actual Solstice is the day when the Sun reaches its furthest point to the south in its journey, reaching the extreme as it would seem to us from Earth. This is the shortest day and marks a shift – for from now on the Sun will stand still for 5 days, and only then will start traveling north, allowing the days to become longer again. Naturally it is not the Sun that moves, but we see the reflection of our own movement. Nevertheless,these days mark the triumph of light over darkness and the rebirth of the Sun.

There are many myths depicting the death and resurrection of the Sun/God in the skies, starting with the resurrection of the Egyptian god Osiris, continuing with the Mesopotamian Damuzi (Tamuz) and up to the story of Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew story of Hanukah also tells of a tale, although a completely different one, of the triumph of Light over Darkness :  in the days of the Roman occupation of Israel,  a small vessel of oil lasted, in a miraculous way , for 8 days, enabling the lighting of the candles in the Holy Temple.

So, as we see from the hints that the ancient ones have left us – there is something in this special time of the year, that marks the light overcoming the darkness. And just as it seems that nights will continue to become longer, and  hope is taken from us – there is the miracle of the rebirth of Light.  By taking this day and celebrating the good in it, we always remember to count our blessings, and know that the Light is always just around the corner…