The winter solstice has just passed here in the southern hemisphere. The shortest day in this part of the world corresponds to the longest in the northern lats of course. Here, the Sun reached its furthest point north whereupon it rested for three days and on the 25th began its trek back to the south. Psychologically this time signals a subtle revival of spirits for those of us in the depths of winter – knowing the light is returning. There is, for those attuned to such things, a little spark of something like relief as if glimpsing a distant light, a scintilla of hope ahead, in a long dark tunnel. At the summer solstice, it is subtle too - a vague sense of passing an important marker - the time of maximum light. There are months of summer ahead, yet we know the days are slowly but surely inching towards the dark. For all of us on planet Earth, as our Sun paused this past week, we too may have given pause. There is much to reflect on as these seemingly surreal days – short or long - disappear too fast. What, we may wonder, does this celestial turning point signify? If anything…
A Solstice Turning Point….
A Solstice Turning Point….
A Solstice Turning Point….
The winter solstice has just passed here in the southern hemisphere. The shortest day in this part of the world corresponds to the longest in the northern lats of course. Here, the Sun reached its furthest point north whereupon it rested for three days and on the 25th began its trek back to the south. Psychologically this time signals a subtle revival of spirits for those of us in the depths of winter – knowing the light is returning. There is, for those attuned to such things, a little spark of something like relief as if glimpsing a distant light, a scintilla of hope ahead, in a long dark tunnel. At the summer solstice, it is subtle too - a vague sense of passing an important marker - the time of maximum light. There are months of summer ahead, yet we know the days are slowly but surely inching towards the dark. For all of us on planet Earth, as our Sun paused this past week, we too may have given pause. There is much to reflect on as these seemingly surreal days – short or long - disappear too fast. What, we may wonder, does this celestial turning point signify? If anything…