Winter solstice paganism is a spiritual belief system that has its roots in ancient pagan traditions surrounding the winter solstice. The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, usually occurring around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. It has long been recognized as a significant turning point in the annual cycle of nature, marking the beginning of winter and the gradual return of the sun. Winter solstice paganism is characterized by a reverence for the natural world and the cycles of nature. Pagans who follow this tradition often celebrate the winter solstice as a time of reflection, renewal, and connection to the Earth. They see it as a time to honor the darkness, embrace stillness, and welcome the gradual return of the light.
It’s no suprise that after so much cold and rain, I totally got the flu now and have been sick for over a week. But it was all worth it, I loved every single minute of my trip. But my advise to you, never EVER go to an amusement park in the middle of winter! Because you know, it’s cold and shit.
Having 4 seasons of different kind of weather isn t my ideal way of living, I d rather have 4 seasons of hot summer fun and some palmtrees on the side. Thank god the real party started after dinner and Cabana Beach transformed into a cool nightclub with live music and lot s of Prosecco bottles to pop.
They see it as a time to honor the darkness, embrace stillness, and welcome the gradual return of the light. Many pagan rituals associated with the winter solstice focus on lighting fires or candles to symbolize the rebirth of the sun. These fires serve as a metaphorical representation of the light and warmth that will come with the lengthening days.
When in Madrid…
Hola! Bien con usted? As I’m sitting behind my desk, sippin on some vino, watching over the dark blue water and looking at the grey sky, I must say my view isn’t bad. But last week I had an even better view for 4 days, as I was watching over the beautiful city of Madrid from the rooftop terrace (including swimmingpool!) of my trendy, boutique hotel. Blue skies, pretty sunsets and the view of a massive city with authentic, picturesque streets curling up the slightly hilly capital of Spain.
But I wouldn’t be writing a story about Madrid, if everything went as planned, my blog is called Lina Against The Universe for a reason…
Finding a cute and local tapas bar in the heart of Spain, shouldn’t be a problem one would think, but in my bf’s and my search for one, we kinda lost our way. (literally) A nice American couple we met at the pool, told us to take the subway to get to a local, cute plaza (town square) where there would be loads of tapas bars. So we got off at the stop and walked around for a while, but no plaza in sight. We decided to walk some more and ended up at the exact same street that our hotel was situated, so we had been walking around in circles. We never found the plaza that day, or any other day during our trip, but we did find a great tapas place with awesome food, which we even went back for the next day.
The next day we wanted to celebrate my bf’s bday, local style in a cool, stylish club. (this trip was actually my surprise bday present for him). After some party research, we decided to make an appearance at Teatro Kapital, apparently the best place for some serious fiesta. With 7 floors and different music styles on each one, this was the place to be after the sun goes down in Madrid. We pulled up in a cab, all dressed up and ready to get lit. The security guard at our hotel told us to drop an important PR guy’s name that used to be his basketball buddy, so we did and we skipped the insanely long line.
We felt like Kimye, but not for long. When the man at the door told us the entrance fee was 50 euro (?!), I said you mean 15 right? He said nah, five zero. I asked him: ‘so the drinks must be for free all night then?’, he answered with an annoying voice: ‘just 1 drink’. I turned to my bf and just laughed, that shit is cray! Aint no way in hell I’m paying f*ckin 50 euro for a club. And if I ever do, I expect waiters looking like Abercrombie models, serving Moët in gold bottles and massaging my damn feet all night.
Lot’s of fellow dissapointed partypeeps were standing outside, contemplating whether to pay the 50 or bounce. I started talking to a group of cool, local looking peeps, they were trying to register for the club online, to get a discount code. Luckily they were so kind to share their discount codes with us, so we joined our newly found friends and walked up to the bouncer again. He now told us the discount code was only valid for the first 300 people going in. Wait whut? We found out later that the club just made up prices as they go, depending on which day and hour it was, asking 15 euro for locals and 50 for tourists. What a tourist trap! Our new friends were only half local, Americans studying Spanish abroad, so even they didn’t get in.
We decided to ditch this lame ass ‘hotspot’ and went barhopping by ourselves. That night I learned my bf how to dance salsa and bachata (well kinda) in a small, fun salsa joint and did some bumpin & grindin in a local club with some good R&B/hiphop music. We eventually had a great night out and didn’t get to our hotelroom until dawn.
Lesson learned when in Madrid: skip the massive clubs and join the locals, they know where the party (and the Bacardi) is at!
Additionally, pagans may engage in meditation, prayer, or other spiritual practices to connect with the deeper meanings of the winter solstice. One well-known pagan tradition associated with the winter solstice is the Yule celebration. Yule is derived from the Norse word for "wheel" and represents the turning of the year. It is a time when pagans gather to celebrate and honor the cycles of life and the natural world. Yule festivities often include feasting, singing, dancing, and the exchange of gifts. In addition to Yule, there are many other pagan traditions and rituals that take place during the winter solstice. These vary depending on the specific pagan belief system and cultural influences. Some pagans may incorporate elements from different traditions or create their own unique practices to celebrate this auspicious time of year. Overall, winter solstice paganism is a diverse and vibrant spiritual tradition that honors the cycles of nature and the interconnectedness of all things. It offers individuals an opportunity to connect with the rhythms of the Earth and find meaning in the darkness and light of the winter solstice..
Reviews for "Exploring the Winter Solstice Pagan Connection to Shamanic Practices"
1. John - 1 star - I did not enjoy Winter solstice paganism at all. I found the rituals to be strange and nonsensical, and I didn't connect with any of the symbolism. It felt like a lot of unnecessary chanting and dancing rather than any kind of meaningful spiritual experience. I also found the beliefs and practices to be quite far-fetched and unrealistic. Overall, I was disappointed and I won't be participating in this again.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - Winter solstice paganism was not my cup of tea. I found the whole thing to be quite silly and superstitious. It felt like a bunch of adults pretending to be witches and wizards rather than a genuine spiritual practice. I couldn't find any deeper meaning or purpose in the rituals and it all seemed quite superficial to me. I respect other people's beliefs, but this is just not for me.
3. Michael - 1 star - I was deeply disappointed with Winter solstice paganism. The whole event felt like a strange cult gathering rather than a legitimate spiritual practice. I found the leader to be quite condescending and pretentious, and the rituals were just too bizarre for my taste. It felt like a waste of time and I couldn't wait for it to end. I definitely won't be attending anything related to Winter solstice paganism again.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy Winter solstice paganism as much as I had hoped. While I appreciate the idea of reconnecting with nature and celebrating the changing seasons, I found the rituals to be quite repetitive and monotonous. It didn't feel very inclusive and I felt like an outsider throughout the whole event. I understand that it might appeal to some people, but it just didn't resonate with me personally.