Winter Solstice 2012
List of circles | Voices | Seasonal Celebrations | Prayers
 

This is an invitation to Circles everywhere to gather in this Winter Solstice Season and focus your activities on behalf of each and all. We invite each Circle to send to us the time you will be gathering and perhaps include your plans for the evening. Or you might wish to share what your Circle did and send a description for posting. Such sharing is a powerful way for Circles to weave together consciously around the World.

spiral Read Calling All Circles from Carol

spiral Read Solstice Welcome from Dan

   

Please submit your Solstice information for inclusion on this page to: Dan Jordinelli at jordinelli@earthlink.net.

Please send the folliwing:

  • Name of your Circle
  • City, state, and country of your Circle
  • A contact person with email address
  • Your web page if you have one.
  • Description of your celebration activities

In gratitude for the ever growing Web of Light circling our beautiful planet, Mother Earth.

Dan, Sparky, Quinn, & Dharma
 
Global Circles in alphabetical order by country.
** Click on a city name to read about the circle in that city. **

Canada
· Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Israel
· Haifa

USA, Arizona
· Tucson

USA, California
· Capitola
· Ione
· Lompoc
· Mount Shasta
· Palm Springs & Palm Desert
· San Marcos
· Santa Cruz

USA, Colorado
· Gunnison/Crested Butte
· Morrison/Red Rocks Park


USA, Idaho
· Coeur d'Alene

USA, Kentucky
· Louisville

USA, Maine
· Falmouth

USA, New Hampshire
· Nashua

USA, New Mexico
· Albuquerque
· Silver City

USA, New York
· Brooklyn
 

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
ThunderWolf Medicine Lodge & Sanctuary
Nine women and one man gathered together for our lunar WolfWalking Drumming Circle on Sunday, December 16, 2012. We decided to journey between the New Moon and the Solstice as we usually hold our circles on Sunday evenings. This was a special event for us because our Community Pipe was brought out to be shared. We each put our personal prayers into the pipe. We also put in our prayers as a community to welcome the coming energies and our transition into the Fifth World.

ThunderWolf Medicine Lodge was also officially birthed as a community to celebrate the true teachings of the Wolf as given to us by Wolf. To this day Wolf has been misunderstood and misrepresented as a ruthless hunter and predator to be feared. It is time to change that fear into a healthy respect. These times will bring forth a clearer understanding of balance and why Wolf is a great Family & Community Teacher and Healer for many.
http://thunderwolfmedicinelodge.weebly.com/
Contact Sonara ~ Grandmother SilverBear
thunderwolfmedicinelodge@shaw.ca
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Haifa, Israel
Shalom,
As the nights becoming longer we are looking to welcome the Winter Solstice.

Because of logistic planning we decided to have our Solstice ceremony a day before, on Thursday December 20th, so we'll have a full circle. We'll meet in Haifa on Carmel Mountain and will spend the whole night together and then will welcome the sunrise in the morning.

During the last year each one of our circle, our country and the world had difficult and challenging time. So we want to dedicate part of our ceremony to be in this valley of shadows and literally to be in the dark night. Covering ourselves with blankets we'll weave ourselves into a cocoon phase. There in the darkness and quietness we'll journey to the time of darkness in our lives, our country and the world. In our Cocoon phase we'll slowly transform ourselves... emerging from the dark place to the lights of candles, which we'll slowly light one by one.

After sharing we'll rattle and drum and slowly move ourselves to the light side. Then we'll have another journey of how to emerge ourselves to the Light . We'll wait together to welcome the first beam of the sun in the morning and will send blessings to the world and to all Shamanic Circles.
Thank you for tending the Light and tending Shamanic Circles
Ziva Garbi
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Tucson, AZ
Solstice December 23rd 2012 Tucson Bear Sisters

Weaving The Ceremony... from our journeys

We will make a "globe container" for prayers of releasing to mark the end of the cycle on the planet. This "globe" will represent the ending of the old world as we know it.  Everyone is invited to write down the things they want to let go of and place their prayer paper into the globe. One of the Bear's will bring the "old world prayer container" down to the fire with her.
Another Bear will set the fire and light the fire asking prayers in all the directions
One of the bear cubs will Cedar Smudge all as we gather at the fire.
As we gather at the fire we will form a circle
Then the bears will step forward and one of the Bear sisters will ask the family to hold the outer hoop and keep us in a circle. "Circle - The circle represents the sacred outer boundary of the Earth often referred to as the Sun Dance Circle or the Sacred Hoop. It represents the continuous pattern of on-going life and death."
Then we (bears) will form the lines of the medicine wheel:
Two bears will start lined up to the east: yellow: knowledge and Clarity: Eagle
Two Bears will line up to the south: White: support: ancestors
Two Bears will line up to the west: Black: strength and courage: bear
Two will line up to the north: red: medicine and healing: buffalo
One Bear will start a song Bear cubs and Warriors will play the mother drum and sing the Lakota forgiveness song, we are most familiar with it and it seems appropriate to letting go of the old world in forgiveness.
We face each other's backs to dance in a sunwise/clockwise rotation stopping at each of the directions (for a part of the song) to dance in that energy until we have danced the full medicine wheel and are back in our beginning spots.
Once the wheel is complete we can end the song with a whoop-n-holler!
Then a bear will speak about the end of one world and the beginning of new creation and the letting go of the old world into the fire.  She will ask others to share what they are releasing if they want, to include a time for the families to join us in speaking our prayers. Then a bear can step up to release those prayers to the fire (place the whole Globe into the fire) Then a bear can explain that the ceremony will continue after dinner and we can all go to the house to eat.  Another Bear will put out the fire.

Dinner! Shared pot luck feast of wonderful salmon and other Bear delights!

After dinner we gather in the living room around a central altar table with a turtle shell bowl to represent the earth mother and we will each bring a bottle of the Bear sister's homemade mead to the altar. 
As we share the mead with everyone and get settled we will announce the telling of the Myths and invite the traveling Bears to tell about their journey with Salmon in Alaska.  Another Bear to follow with the Celtic salmon story. Then Another Bear with Native American story. Our Bear sister called by Buffalo will speak about the end of the old and the creation of the new world. And a little about our buffalo work and our intent to bring it forward into the newly created world.  Then we will each offer our prayer or story as follows:
Power
Honor
Protection
Sustenance
Abundance
Creation: The Turtle holds the new world

Then everyone gathered will be invited to add a prayer to the Turtle shell bowl and she will explain that they will be released at the Kiva ceremony. This is the final prayer.
The ceremony will end with… Bear sisters mead and The Toasting!
…of the season, the families, our mead master, the love of the newly created world!

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Capitola, CA
Solstice Sunrise
Solstice Sunrise Solstice Sunrise Solstice Sunrise
Cheryl Ban
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Ione, CA
Compost Mentis located in Ione, CA, USA
Event is Friday 12/21 all night. Fire ceremony, bonfire (weather permitting), ritual, meditation, celebration. All (electric) lights go out at sundown and will not be turned on until dawn.
http://compostmentis.net/Events_and_Calendar.html
Contact: Moria - email: compostmentis@volcano.net
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Lompoc, CA
I will host a Winter Solstice Fire from 7pm - 10pm.
Contact: Kimmfay@gmail.com for details
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Mount Shasta, CA
Overtone Chanting and Meditation
Setting Intention
11am-12pm (no experience necessary)

Shamanic Journey Circle 12pm-1:30pm
(prerequisite: you must know your Power Animal, guide or Teacher and know how to journey in a shamanic way in non ordinary reality).

Much Love and Many Blessings, Della
Contact: Della, phone: (530) 859-1007 or
email: hidella@aol.com
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Palm Springs & Palm Desert, CA
Join us in a Free Online World-Wide Ceremony on Friday, December 21 at 11:11 am (PST) as we usher in a Sacred Shift & merge with the energies of the Divine Feminine.

We have assembled spiritual leaders from many traditions who will each offer a four-minute celebration prayer. This live streamed event will be anchored with a fire/drumming ceremony in Palm Springs, CA. You will be able to watch the fire while listening to the prayers.

Please Register & Meet the Presenters via the link below.
http://practicalshamantravel.com/call-to-awaken-the-divine-self/

The call will be recorded, but please register if you want to receive the link.

Renee Baribeau will be the keeper of the ceremony. We will be sharing live from our fire pit in Palm Desert and our presenter will join from around the world. Our fire keepers are Rev Audrey Reed and Stuart Green; who travel with the International Council of Grandmother, regularly tending to the drumming and ceremonial fire. Local Palm Springs Residents are invited to participate at the fire and join us for a community potluck. $11.00 plus a dish to share. Registration link coming soon.
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Santa Cruz, CA

Preparation:
Our Santa Cruz Circles will be joining together to celebrate Winter Solstice on Friday, Dec. 21, at 6:30pm.

We will be gathering here on Rabbits Run Rd because gathering here provides us both indoor and outdoor landscapes for our ceremonies. Circle members will also be bringing donations for our local Food Bank, our Animal Shelters, and toys for children. Recently we learned that all three of the organizations that provide such items at this times of year are seriously lacking support for the first time in many, many years.

In addition to welcoming the Return of Light, we also take time to honor and remember those who died this year and whose Souls have Journeyed to Elsewhere. Just as Sun & Light return to us here on Earth, their Lights return to the Source of All.

I will be printing a list of the Solstice Circles who have posted their gathering on the Shamanic Circles website and we shall, one by one, send our Prayers and Blessings to those Circles and to their Homelands. And we have one large EarthBall to hold together in Circle...singing our Songs for MotherEarth and Spirit...and the Amazing Gift of Living on this beautiful Planet.

Ceremony:
solstice alter

Our Solstice Circle set up two Altars. One was for the Children and Adults who died at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. We read their names and after each name, would light a Candle for them. We also sang "Homeward Now Shall You Journey, Homeward Upon the Rainbow."

The other Altar was for family and friends who died between last year's Solstice and this year's Solstice... again each person spent some time saying their names and 'remembering' them.

Then we each lit a Candle for ourselves and shared our hopes for this coming year. And then we feasted together. It was an exquisitely beautiful evening and the sense of Light pervaded our Circle space. Indeed though there was sorrow both for our friends and for those at Sandy Hook, there was also a profound senses of the Sun's Return and the arrival of the Light. Blessings of the New Year to all Circles and peoples everywhere.

Carol Proudfoot-Edgar
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San Marcos, CA
Haven of Sacred Drums
We are holding a Shamanic Circle Celebration on 12/21/12 at: 1977 Hazelnut Court, San Marcos, CA from 6pm until ??? We have one every year but THIS is the journey of our lifetime.
This Circle is not open to the public.
Marsalee Forrestar
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Morrison/Red Rocks Park, CO
On December 21 we hiked one of the trails at Red Rocks Park. We rattled and sang to the ancestors of this ancient and beautiful land. We celebrated the continuance of life on Earth. We celebrated our many blessings. We are here, thank you for being with us.

solstice

Love to All,
Gayle and Steve

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Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO
10:30 - 12 Noon
Ceremony - Celebration - Campfire
Hwy 135 mile marker 11, blue house on left
Barbara Haas
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Coeur d'Alene, ID
I will be having a fire at that time also.
Paqo David
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Louisville, KY
Carol: Wonderful poem - thank you -
We will be meeting in the Activities Center of Unity Temple on Brook and College, Louisville, Kentucky, from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm. We will be doing drumming and rattling and dancing and singing and quiet. All are welcome - doesn't matter if they have a drum or rattle or walk a shamanic path. Blessing to you and to your work.
Barbara Bloecher
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Falmouth, ME
Celebrate Solstice 2012 with The World Drum and Peruvian Whistling Vessels
Friday, December 21 • 7PM
Join us to journey, dance, drum & dream a new dream for a safe, peaceful, healthy and joyful world!
More information and Registration form
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Nashua, NH
WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION
host: Full Moon Reiki Drum
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012
SPACE GROVE ST. CHAPEL (http://www.uunashua.org/map.shtml)
6:30 - 8:30 PM

The Winter Solistice is celebrated by many cultures throughout the world. Daylight is shortest at this time, night is long and dark. In ancient times people feared that the sun would not return and ritual was performed to pray and coax the sun's return. This day, this year, also marks the end of the Mayan calendar - we are entering the Age of Transition. Think about those things you might like to change in yourself and the things you might want to bring forward.

Full Moon Reiki/Drum will host a Winter Solstice celebration on Friday, December 21st, 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This is a family celebration - all are welcome to join us in Sacred Circle with stories, songs, drumming, and a sharing of Reiki energy.

You may want to consider the colors of Winter, (red, green, and white) when you dress for this event as was customary in the past. Please bring your drum or percussion instrument if you have one, a favorite seasonal reading to share (poems, prose, personal reflections), and a snack for a small feast following the ceremony.

Help is always appreciated; if you would like to help out or have any questions please
Contact: Robin or Anya at reikidrumcircle@yahoo.com
Things we need: evergreen cuttings for the altar; greeter/smudger; willing readers to call directions and more. We look forward to sharing this very special evening with you,
Namaste,
Anya and Robin
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Albuquerque, NM
The Feathered Serpent Lodge
The Feathered Serpent Lodge will gather for drumming and a Pipe Ceremony at 7:00 pm in the North Valley on Friday, December 21st, to celebrate the Winter Solstice and our planet's transition to the Fifth World. There will be a pot luck dinner after the Ceremony. If you would like to attend, please call Christina at 505-873-8657 no later than 8:00 pm on Thursday, December 20th. Regardless of your prior experience with drumming or Pipe Ceremony, bring a respectful, open heart and you will be welcome.
Christina / Quanah'che Mawokee
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Silver City, NM
We gather by the fireplace in my home on Winter Solstice @ 7PM. We journey, have ceremony & then a pot luck & laughter. Winter Blessings to All ~ Eileen Stevens
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Brooklyn, NY
Greetings to my spirit circles!
This week ushers in the season of the Winter Solstice, the arrival of which is heralded by celebrations in honor of two Goddesses of Light. December 12 is the holy day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is always depicted standing within a halo of sun rays. And Guadalupe Day is followed on December 13 by Santa Lucia Day, whose very name means Holy Light.

The timing of these sacred occasions is not an accident nor an arbitrary designation. They are, in fact, celebrations of the Winter Solstice, which used to be observed on December 12/13 according to the old Julian calendar. Let us use these next two weeks until the Gregorian calendar solstice to align our intentions with the light in the universe and within our hearts. With bountiful blessings of enlightenment,

xx Mama Donna Henes
Urban Shaman
Contact: Donna Henes, PO Box 380403 Exotic Brooklyn, NY 11238-0403 phone/fax 718-857-2247
email: cityshaman@aol.com
More information
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