Monday, December 21 2009

Sol Invictus

I have an Unce Saul. Probably no relation.

Winter solstice passed at 9:47 am December 21st (Pacific Time). Solstices happen when the earth's axis reaches its maximum or minimum distance from the sun. Like a spinning top that's starting to run down, the earth's axis isn't parallel to it's orbit: it wobbles back and forth, giving us our seasons (at least above and below the equator!)

Many cultures and traditions have revered the sun, or at least acknowledged it as a primary force in the universe. Early herding cultures equated the day/night cycle with the sun being shepherded across the sky, Ra, the Egyptian god tooled around in his 'solar barge' (sounds like a new product from Toyota), the Nipponese have their sun goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave from her irksome brother, the Aztecs and Mayans had fabulously complex mythologies surrounding it, backed up by keen astronomical observations, the Norse had the sun in a chariot, pulled 'round the sky by some sort of fireproof horse, and of course, the Druids (maybe . . .) built henges such as Stonehenge as astronomical computers to tell them about important events like equinoxes, Solstices and suchlike portents of their year.

Religious site, astronomical computer, or just a public works project out of control?

Not that this was all just religious ceremony: in pre-industrial, pre-literate societies somebody has to be in charge of telling people when to plant, when to sow and when to bring in the washing. Useful stuff, knowing what the sun would do next--although the Chinese proposition of banging on pots and pans to drive away eclipses probably wasn't that effective.

My personal favorite personification of solar worship is Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, Latin for 'The Festival of the Unconquered Sun'. Rome  practiced solar worship when their dominant religion was Mithraism, and tacked on the 'Invictus' bit as an honorific, talking up how great the sun really was. There's some scholarly debate about Mithraism being conflated with Christianity, but that's for eggheads with too many pins dancing on the heads of their angels. Truth is, very little is known about Mithras worship and festivals, but I'm all for taking a break in the middle of winter to celebrate the return of the sun and warmer weather.

With all that in mind, I'm on my way to getting ready for midwinter festivities: I've finally gotten my tree up, laid in (and into) some egg nog, and seen some friends. I bought the cats toques, objects both shiny and furry, and a new helicopter (I don't know what they do with the things, but I'm happy they keep learning new skills), I've made my rice crispie treats (and eaten them . . .) and now it remains to do a bit of shopping and cleaning. I'll spend the 25th with my dear old Mum and me dad, and then it's a big old dinner with my bride on the 26th--I'm thinking of spatchcocking a turkey again, and doing it up with all the good stuff. It just doesn't feel right until I've had mashed potatoes and turkey gravy.

After that, it's a bit of a rest and back to it: I've got programs to program, I'm looking at doing an upgrade to our instructions (my head aches to think of it) and some where in there I'm taking a week off to go to Mexico, to lie in a pool and soak up local culture (if by culture you understand I mean, 'tequila').

Because that's my kind of sun worship!

Posted by Tim AT 11:13AM

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