The Winter Solstice and the Divine Feminine in Wiccan Worship

Winter solstice, also known as the hibernal solstice or midwinter, is an astronomical event that occurs annually during the winter season. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year, where the Sun reaches its lowest point in the sky at noon. In the Northern Hemisphere, it usually falls on December 21st or 22nd, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it occurs around June 20th or 21st. Different cultures and civilizations throughout history have celebrated and marked the significance of the winter solstice. One such example is the ancient Mayans, who built the magnificent site of Chichen Itza in Mexico. Here, during the winter solstice, a unique phenomenon known as the "serpent of light" occurs.

Winter solstice illumination of the main altar tabernacle of the Spanish Royal Presidio Chapel, Santa Barbara, Calif. Rubén G. Mendoza , CC BY-ND

They are based on beliefs in invisible deities and on mystical experiences that can t be explained by one person to another but must be experienced for oneself. Certain Wiccan claims had seemed plausible, not to mention appealing my sister s high school uses a textbook that teaches this myth of a prehistoric woman-centered culture.

Here, during the winter solstice, a unique phenomenon known as the "serpent of light" occurs. As the sun sets, a shadow is cast on the steps of the El Castillo pyramid, creating the image of a serpent descending down the structure. In ancient Norse mythology, the winter solstice was celebrated as Yule, a festival honoring the return of the sun.

Witches’ Brew at Winter Solstice

If, as linguists say, a language is just a dialect with an army, then a religion is just a madman’s fantasy that has failed to die out. Religions gain legitimacy by lasting, and by that measure Wicca is well on its way to being mainstream. Now 50 years old, the earth-centered faith (also known as paganism or witchcraft) has thousands of adherents and many more occasional dabblers in the United States and Europe. Dozens of new Wicca books are published every year. There are dozens of Wicca conferences and retreats. And solstice celebrations are now seen as normal in the United States—and in freethinking Unitarian churches, practically required.

But Wiccan teachings are for the most part a stew of demonstrably false historical claims. There’s no better time to examine this penchant for dissembling than at winter solstice on Dec. 21, which Wiccans say has been their holiday for thousands of years. For it’s just such unfounded claims to old age and continuous tradition that may keep Wicca from growing to be truly old. Wicca is not a unified movement; it comprises “good” witches who use spells and charms, feminist worshippers of a monotheistic Goddess, and earth-cultists who propound nature worship. But the many strands overlap. They’re gynocentric; they’re all concerned with nature; they all celebrate eight holidays, or “sabbats,” that include the equinoxes and the solstices. Adherents typically say that those eight holidays were celebrated by ancient Wiccans or pagans, primarily Celtics or Romans, whose traditions the contemporary Wiccans are carrying on. These seasonal festivals, they add, have been co-opted by Christians, who turned Samhain into Halloween and Yule into Christmas.

The rare Wiccan belief that pans out is that Christmas is an adaptation of a solstice celebration. We have no way of knowing when Jesus was born. Scholars generally agree that by the late fourth century his birthday was figured for Dec. 25, because that was already the day of the Roman feast of Sol Invictus (the “undefeatable sun”), a solstice holiday, as well as the time of Saturnalia, the festival for Saturn.

But in reaching for a usable past, Wiccans trumpet numerous other historical claims that are entirely without merit. The central claim that Wicca is descended from pre-Christian cultures and that it was driven underground by violent Christians was popularized by the writer Starhawk, whose 1979 book The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess is a foundational text for contemporary Wiccans. Starhawk based her teachings on the work of, among others, Marija Gimbutas, a UCLA anthropologist who in the 1970s and 1980s argued that in pre-Christian times there existed a unified, female-centered, Indo-European society that worshipped a Goddess.

Recent scholars, however, have shown that there was no prehistoric Goddess-centered matriarchy. They’ve also concluded that the Celts probably did not celebrate eight seasonal sabbats, and, alas, that contemporary Wicca was invented in the 1950s by Gerald Gardner, an English civil servant with a deep interest in the 19 th -century occult. One can read the brutal truth about all of these debunked theories in a fine article by Charlotte Allen in the Atlantic Monthly (available to subscribers only) and in The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory, a superb book by Cynthia Eller.

Wiccans heaped scorn on Eller, attacking her book as an unforgivable act of anti-Wiccan bigotry, even female self-loathing. By marshalling evidence against so much of the Wiccans’ claimed history, Eller was hitting a young religion where it hurts. Certain Wiccan claims had seemed plausible, not to mention appealing—my sister’s high school uses a textbook that teaches this myth of a prehistoric woman-centered culture. So, adherents had based their faith on what they considered a verifiable back story. Wiccans had believed, and built their faith around, shoddy feminist scholarship that had itself become an article of absolute belief. Faced with Eller, Wiccans could have taken an honestly religious position—”We have faith, Cynthia, and your facts can’t shake it.” Instead, they attacked her.

And therein lies the problem for Wiccans: Religions tend to succeed to the extent that they are not subject to tests of proof. They are based on beliefs in invisible deities and on mystical experiences that can’t be explained by one person to another but must be experienced for oneself. So, the more obscured by time or erosion a religion’s possible proofs are, the more freely the religion can succeed as a matter of faith. Mormonism could never flourish so long as Joseph Smith could be interrogated, face to face, about his visions. He needed to become a mythic—that is to say, long dead—figure. Jews should pray that we never find the Ark of the Covenant; the truth of a religious system should not be subjected to carbon-dating the tablets.

So long as Wiccans are hung up on whether Christmas is derived from old solstice rites (it is) or whether Christendom murdered 9 million alleged witches from the 14 th to the 18 th centuries (not even close), the religion will seem a little absurd. It’s one thing to have faith in things unseen; that’s human. It’s a whole other thing to have faith in an easily disproved historical conceit. There’s evidence that many Wiccans may be wising up. Starhawk has backed off her boldest assertions and now concedes that some part of her original historical matrix may not be true. The debatable notion that Hanukkah is also based on solstice celebrations has been floated but has not caught on, even among diehard Goddess worshippers. Both Starhawk and Carol Christ, another prominent Goddess evangelizer, told me they had no reason to believe the Hanukkah theory. Chastened by the attacks on their bad historiography, Wiccans are growing more likely to say that their faith is based on a love of Wiccan practices, rather than on particular historical claims. It’s a heartening development when religious belief isn’t dependent on the latest archaeological findings. Wiccans might no longer have to sacrifice intellectual rigor to get their spiritual sustenance.

The weeks leading up to the winter solstice can feel long as days grow shorter and temperatures drop. But it’s also traditionally been a time of renewal and celebration – little wonder that so many cultures mark major holidays just around this time.

It was a time of feasting, merriment, and the lighting of yule logs. The Yule log was believed to bring good luck and protection from evil spirits. Similarly, in many Pagan traditions, the winter solstice is celebrated as a time of rebirth and renewal. It represents the turning point where the days start to grow longer and the sun begins its ascent in the sky. Rituals and ceremonies are performed to honor the cycle of nature and to welcome the return of light. Today, the winter solstice continues to be celebrated in various ways around the world. In modern times, it is often associated with Christmas and the holiday season. Many people gather with their loved ones to exchange gifts, share meals, and celebrate the joy of being together. The winter solstice is a significant astronomical event that holds deep cultural and spiritual meanings for many people. It is a time to reflect on the cycles of nature, embrace the darkness, and look forward to the return of the light. Whether through ancient rituals or modern festivities, the winter solstice reminds us of the beauty and wonder of the natural world..

Reviews for "The Winter Solstice and the Power of Intentions in Wixca Rituals"

1. Sarah - 2 stars

I found "Winter solstice wixca" to be quite disappointing. While the concept of a winter solstice festival is intriguing, the execution fell flat. The plot lacked depth and the characters were one-dimensional. I also found the pacing to be slow, which made it hard to stay engaged in the story. Overall, I was not impressed with this book and would not recommend it.

2. John - 1 star

I really struggled to finish "Winter solstice wixca". The writing was convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow the storyline. The characters were poorly developed, and their actions often felt inconsistent. Additionally, the world-building left much to be desired; I never fully understood the magic system or the rules of the festival. Overall, I was thoroughly unimpressed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

3. Emma - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Winter solstice wixca" but was left disappointed. The pacing was all over the place, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed and confusing plot developments. The characters felt underdeveloped, and their motivations were often unclear. I also found the writing to be overly descriptive, without adding much to the overall story. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations.

4. Michael - 3 stars

"Winter solstice wixca" had a promising premise, but it failed to deliver for me. The world-building felt incomplete, leaving me with many unanswered questions. The characters lacked depth and their relationships felt forced. The writing style was also not to my taste, as I found it to be repetitive at times. Overall, I was left wanting more from this book and it fell short of my expectations.

5. Jessica - 2 stars

I did not enjoy "Winter solstice wixca" as much as I had hoped. The plot was slow and meandering, with little sense of direction. The characters felt flat and their interactions felt forced. Additionally, I found the dialogue to be unrealistic and stilted. While the concept of a winter solstice festival was interesting, the execution left much to be desired. I would not recommend this book to others.

Exploring the Winter Solstice Mythology in Wixca Culture