Darkness seems to be all around me, but I can see the light. This seems intuitively to be illogical, but this is the truth of the solstice. This darkest time can only clearly glorify the greatest light.
The winter solstice was remembered in Celtic tradition as the coming of the Oak King. There was a battle then between the Oak King and the Holly king. The Oak King was the light and the Holly King was the darkness.
Of course we know who wins. The darkest day of the year is overcome by light. The Oak king has victory over the Holly king and enables the light to return to the land.
This Celtic song begins with beautiful vocals and trails into a flute trancelike progression lifting us into the battle of the Oak king and the Holly king.
In this song I see darkness fading and the light overcoming.
During Solstice it is important to realize that there isre is darkness. In the darkness we can see stars and planets. Last night Saturn and Jupiter lined up for the winter solstice celebration. Among our bustling cities we could not see this bright light so well even with a telescope. But in the ancient times the sky lite up at times like this. Those who were wise looked up and their hearts shined with hope.
The darkness is necessary for us to visualize the great heavenly bodies, but we are not meant to remain in darkness. There is a time to look up in the sky and there is a time to move forward in the light.
Personally the song says to me, "Good bye 2020 and all the darkness with it." I woke up this morning and saw Venus hanging out in the east. And then the sun come behind her. You don't have to wake up early to see the sun rise in the northern hemisphere these days.
I hope we are at the end of this darkness and can press on toward the light. And to make it even more clear these last song here are gospel songs that focus on the light shining in the darkness.
The second is from one of my favorite movies: "The Blues Brothers"
Happy Winter Solstice