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In the News
Celebrating solstice brings out those who feel its spiritual pull
Article in the Salt Lake Trbune - Dec. 21st,
2006
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Celebrating solstice brings out those who feel its
spiritual pull
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People around the
Salt Lake Valley plan to welcome back the light this evening
as they celebrate winter solstice.
Celebrations of the shortest day of the year date back
more than 5,000 years to Ireland's Newgrange, a stone
structure thought to be used to recognize the solstice.
Newgrange is built on a hill, and the building contains a
chamber with a window that only allows in light from the sun
during the winter solstice.
Tara Sudweeks Willgues, a minister at Church of the
Sacred Circle, which promotes earth-based spirituality, said
while no one knows how the structure was used, it's apparent
it was built for the solstice. |
A winter solstice party
attracts revelers who gather around a fire Wednesday on the
Jordan River near Jordan Park to celebrate the return of the
light. The gathering was sponsored by Bend-In-The-River, a
non-denominational environmental and conservation group
based in Salt Lake City. (Paul Fraughton/The Salt Lake
Tribune) |
But not having
distinctly established traditions doesn't stop her
and several other Utahns from gathering each solstice to
celebrate the impending return of longer days.
She and Edward Slomka are members of the Sun Stave
Circle, and Slomka is in charge of planning this year's
celebration. Tonight's activities will include the burning
of a decorated Yule log and feature a living tree, which
will be given to a participant to be planted in Heber. The
Sun Stave Circle is a "nonorganization" that allows members
to come and go and volunteer to host pagan events, such as
the solstice celebration.
He and Willgues see clear ties between pagan
traditions and Christianity's celebration of Christmas.
In many ancient cultures, such as the Roman Saturnalia,
people brought greenery into their homes and exchanged
gifts. Also, the Yule log was a tradition dating back to
ancient Nordic cultures to help welcome back the sun.
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"We start
gaining more daytime again," Slomka said. "By having light
and burning the log, it symbolizes the light of hope and
it's evolved from there."
Willgues calls the solstice a "fairly major celebration"
in paganism, mainly because it has become so deeply
ingrained.
"A lot of it has to do with ancient traditions, and now
it's all mishmashed into Western cultures," Willgues said.
In addition to burning a Yule log, Slomka will offer an
activity for people to make pinecone bird feeders, another
show of respect for nature.
"You don't have to be member of anything to come to our
group," Willgues said. "We welcome anyone who is curious
about earth-based spirituality or wants to celebrate the
solstice."
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* SHEENA MCFARLAND can be contacted at smcfarland@sltrib.com
or 801-257-8619.
* SUN STAVE CIRCLE: 7 p.m., South
Valley Unitarian Church Building, 6878 S. Highland Drive.
Bring a can of food for the homeless shelter and an item for
a potluck dinner.
* UNITARIAN CHURCH OF OGDEN: 6-9 p.m.,
Earth-Centered Spirituality Group, 705 23rd St.
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7-year-old Musa Traore looks at the stars
through John R. Peterson's telescope. Solstice celebrations
go back for centuries. In Utah, groups mark the holiday in
their own way. (Paul Fraughton/The Salt Lake Tribune) |
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