The Saturnalia was originally celebrated in Ancient Rome for only a day, but it was so popular it soon it lasted a week, despite Augustus’ efforts to reduce it to three days, and Caligula’s, to five. Like our Christmas, this important holy day was for more than fun and games. Saturnalia was a time to honor the god of sowing and reaping, Saturn. But again, like our Christmas, it was also a festival day on which a public banquet was prepared. A statue of Saturn Lord of Time/ was usually bound in Rope but at his feast, the statue was unbound.
Saturnalia Was the Best Part of the Roman Year
The poet Catullus describes Saturnalia as the best of days. It was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving, particularly of wax candles (cerei), and earthenware figurines (sigillaria). The best part of the Saturnalia (for slaves) was the temporary reversal of roles. Masters served meals to their slaves who were permitted the unaccustomed luxuries of leisure and gambling. Clothing was relaxed and included the peaked woollen cap that symbolized the freed slave, which looks an awful lot like yuo know who’s peaked red hat . A member of the familia (family plus slaves) was appointed,” Lord of Misrule”.
Men were allowed to expres their homosexual feelings in public. There was a huge element of sature and FOOL-ery, or scapegoating.
Macrobius, in his Saturnalia, creates an imaginary symposium among pagan intellectuals in which he offers an explanation for the varying length of the holiday. Originally, it was celebrated on only one day, the fourteenth before the Kalends of January. With the reform of the Julian calendar, two days were added to December, and the Saturnalia was celebrated sixteen days before the Kalends (December 17), “with the result that, since the exact day was not commonly known—some observing the addition which Caesar had made to the calendar and others following the old usage—the festival came to be regarded as lasting for more days than one.
OPALIA = OPRAH
The original day now was given over to the Opalia, honoring Ops, who personified abundance and the fruits of the earth, and was the consort of Saturn. As the two deities represented the produce of the fields and orchards, so they also were thought to represent heaven and earth. It was for this reason, says Macrobius (I.10.20), that the two festivals were celebrated at the same time, the worshipers of Ops always sitting in prayer so that they touched the earth, mother of all.
I was struck with the etymological similie of Opalia, Goddess of abundance and Oprah’s name. Name destiny is very important signifier for me.
YULE Ancient Pagan/WICCAN Winter Solstice Festival is the basis for Xmas.
YULE, pronounced EWE-elle is the name for the shortest day of Light in the Year, the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere . It is when the dark half of the year dies to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun’s “rebirth” was celebrated with much joy. Oour ancestors celebrated the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, giver of Life. From this day forward, the days would become longer. As the people participated in the mystique of the turning of the wheel of Life, their participation and prayers to honour this propituous time was all important. For if the Goddess did not bring rebirth to her Son the sun, and the Sun’s Light did not return then that signalled the death of all life on the earth.
Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were ‘wassailed” with toasts of spiced cider. Children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges which were laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. Apples and oranges represented the sun. The boughs symbolized immortality (evergreens were sacred to the Celts who worshipped trees, because they did not “die” thereby representing the eternal aspect of the Divine). The wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour was accomplishment of triumph, light, and life. Holly and ivy not only decorated the outside, but also the inside of homes, in hopes Nature Sprites would come and join the celebration. A sprig of Holly was kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to visit the residents. Mistletoe was also hung as decoration. It represented the seed of the Divine, and at Midwinter, the Druids would travel deep into the forest to harvest it.
The ceremonial Yule log was the highlight of the Solstice festival. Traditionally, the log must either have been harvested from the householder’s land, or given as a gift… it must never have been bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze by a piece of last years log, (held onto for just this purpose). The log would burn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. An herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice.
The World Tree, Yggdrasil is the one in which ODEN is suspended from inthe tarot Image of the HANGED MAN. This is where the Nordic RUNES came from.
Winter Solstice 2011
DEC 21/22 2011 in Northern Hemisphere
The Winter solstice marks one of the 4 main quarters in the Year.
As such it can be used as a map to orient and plan the next 3 months of your and the world’s business with.
I’ve set the chart to Toronto Canada where I live it is different by 1 degree if the Solstice was created for Washington D.C.
This is a POWER-full solstice chart with the SUN conjunct PLUTO, yes Pluto is still considered to be extremely important to Astrologers as it rules the Soul, resurrecction, transformation, death and rebirth, wealth, garbage, the unconscious and the shadow.
The chart is literally a symbol of the SUN the source/King/Jesus/at the bottom quadrant of the chart in the house marked 3, cheek to cheek with, Pluto Lord of the Dark, Death, the Underworld on the other side of the fence so to speak, in the house marked 4,the house of the Unconsious. It’s a perfect alignment of what Solstice is all about!
The Moon is in late Scorpio and Scorpio is the sign of death, rebirth, transformation itself. Moo is Scorpio sugnifies this next 3 months as major EMOTIONAL rebirths. In the 2nd house it is also related to money, resources, tangible things, real estate, ergo the stock market.
MARKET VOLATILITY and the Sun represents GOLD and Gold may loose even more of its shine.
Venus planet of women,love, also money is at 1 degree of Aquarius indicating anew beginning in worldwide lobbying, protests, freedom fighting by women to revolutionize the world situation. Venus in the 4th house indicates freedom from old restirctions, agrass roots, home made revolution.
MERCURY is conjunct the North Node in SAGITTARIUS also in the 3rd house. Mercury planet of communications is urging you me and all of us to go to HIGHER LAW, what the Native Americans call SACRED LAW, as opposed to man-made laws. The 3rd house is all abuot comunications in your vicinity so the image of a LOCAL, higher truth, honesty,truth being mandated, lobbied, in the news. The North Node reporesents the highest spiritual goals. In Sagittarius this is the Sign of the Galactic Center and as we are only one year away from the DEC. 21 2012 date of the arising of higher consciousness, this is awonderful sign.
SATURN is in the 1st house at 27 degree of Libra indicating a seriousness, maturation, karmic, limitations, obstacles and a testing period throughout the next three months.
JUPITER is opposite Saturn at 00 degrees of TAURUS Rx. Jupiter is still Retrograde. But Jupiter Turns DIRECT on CHRISTMAS DAY. This is a beautiful and lovely gift of Jupiter to turn Direct motion on this day after moving backwards since June 2nd.
Jupiter in TAURUS is so simple down to earth, sensual, salt of the earth.
With Jupiter in Taurus it is about embodying and enjoying the fruits of the earth, appreciating food, the body andthe simple pleasures. Jupiter the Ancient Greek God Zeus, is also equated to Yahweh. Jupiter is bountiful, the law-giver the governer of Sacred LAw that we spoke about with the Mercury North Node Conjunction. Jupiter in Taurus helps us appreciate the simple things in life. It is grounding, rooting, conects us to the earth.
One other planets are also at ZERO degrees, URANUS the planet of revolution, invention, freedom, is at Zero degrees of Aries in the 6th house near the cusp or handle of the 7th house quadrant. URANUS has been a major player in 2011 inducing all the ARAB countries to incite revolution from dictators. This fomentation will continue for many years to come. Zero degrees Aries is one of the CARDINAL points in the year representing the degree of the Sun’s ingress at Spring into Aries.
NEPTUNE is stil conjunct to Chiron the Wounded Healer.
Neptune at 28 degrees of Aquarius, and Chiron whose symbol is a key at 1 degree of Aquarius have opened up the psychic telepathic buondaries for us all since 2010. In the 5th house that is reserved for the heart chakra, for the love of children, and creative self- expression it is a symbol of spirituality,losing of boundaries, kindness, reformation, organization, freedom,{ Neptune in Aquarius} healing from addictions { Chiron in Pisces}. We must act from our hearts, we must act to protect the child within and without, we are all ONE in spirit. Awakening from the addictions of illusion, drugs,religious ideas which separate and dominate, feeling our inter-connections.
Last but not Least MARS is in Virgo at 17 degrees in the 12 th house, which is the house of hidden enemies, self-undoing,karma,secrets, the Unconsious. Mars, God of War, in the last house, the house of spirituality, illusion and delusion, addictions in the workaholic, highly critical earth sign Virgo shows how the warmongers of the earth are operating behind the scenes, manipulating the workforces, the economy, the accounting system for their own selfish karmic reasons.
Mars in Virgo in the 12th is a dangerous enemy becuase he is wearing a cloak of INVISIBILITY,as he is dwelling in the house of the Unconscious. MArs in Virgo shows where and how we criticise ouselves and others. It is the blame game, lack of substantial confidence. Mars in Virgo is also fighting over earth’s natural resources. we shall see more of that in the next 3 months.
Use this chart as a guide for your own life for planning the next quarter of the year. Whatever sign you are, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Oh that Ophiucus stuff? never mind all that.
Need help to coach and guide you about all aspects of your life and those you love? I am a simple e-mail away. taragreenetarot@gmail.com
YOU CAN ALSO PURCHASE 1/2 HR PHONE READINGS here through PAYPAL for YOURSELF or as GIFTS.
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GIVE THE GIFT OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE, PERSPECTIVE AND SOUND ADVICE.
http://www.taratarot.com/id17.html GIFTS page of my website
MANY BLESSINGS
CHRISTMAS EVE sees a CAPRICORN NEW MOON
will write about that later.
Stay tuned for my New podcasts, online astrology and tarot learning conference calls and other classes and workshops in 2012.
I am proud to announce that I will once again be a presenter at GRAIL LADY FAIRE in Bancroft Ontario in June 2012.
http://www.grailsprings.com/Events-Grail-Lady-Faire
Mark your calendars also at the Grail Springs Spas for the Victoria Day long weekend in Canada where I will be teaching during that wonderful long weekend.
Some my predictions for 2012 will be published in the Toronto SUN on or just after BOXING DAY. or go to my website I will put more on shortly.
Ona personal note, I have been late getting all of these regular columns out for a long time and especially in the last while as I have been tending to my father. As an only child,my mother passed away two years ago, my dad who had been living in a nursing home, had been critically ill since the beginning of Dec. and has passed away on Dec 14th. For all of you who have lost close relatives or friends I send you blessings of peace and to remember your loved ones in their prime. They have returned to where they came from, in spirit. They will always watch over you.
This is the time for wishing, so wish onthe stars.Your ancestors are in the stars.
Tara Greene,Tarot Reader, Astrology Psychic 