Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Santa Shamans & Solstice Circle


The fading light on the longest night 
brought golden clouds and brisk wind. 
I loaded wood on the cart and 
wheeled it to the fire pit in 
a clearing in the hemlocks. 


A handful of hardy souls gathered around 
the Solstice Fire to celebrate the sun's 
re-birth. The silent and silvery moon
 rose to watch our revelry, dancing 
with the clouds as we danced with 
the fire. With boughs of spruce 
and fir we swept the year clean, 
'round and 'round the circle
sweeping and blessing 
each other, 
and the land. 


This morning, Pasha and I gathered the left over kindling 
to light our morning fire and bring the blessings of 
the circle into the house. 


Inside, my tree is the Shaman World Tree.
With owls and angels up high, 


and a skiing Santa Shaman who looks to me like a Sami 
from the arctic circle in Norway. In his bag he carries
the magic that makes reindeer fly.


Another of my favorites is the Santa who stands with 
arms outstretched for several weeks offering himself
to the wee critters who come to my tree to be a 
part of the story. 


There's also a sweet, sledding faery who lights her 
way with a lantern,


and a mighty king who surveys the kingdom, 
wandering the forest from Solstice 'til New Year's. 
(actually, its a Queendom, but I don't tell him)


The Solstice table, ready to welcome
moon cakes and mulled cider and 
cold-toed revelers, is guarded 
by the White Reindeer and 
his friend, the Santa Shaman 
who shelters critters in his 
robes. 



And possibly my favorite of all, with his 
Stag Staff and oak leaf bordered robe, 
dances in spirals around his fire
in the center of the table, 
banging his staff 
loudly to make 
sure he's got the 
attention of the 
ancestors.  


Through this most lively of celebrations, 
Pasha manages to dream other stories
by the heat of the wood stove, 
on his little sheepskin rug.


18 comments:

stregata said...

Love your tree and your Santa Shamans. Wishing you a most wonderful Holiday season - may your house and your heart be full of peace, happiness and blessings.

mycuriousteaparty said...

Hi Valerianna

I love the Sami Santa and the beautiful woven piece on your table, your home looks so cosy and inviting, I'm having one of those wish I was there moments...

A Merry Christmas to you and your family.

~ Julie

A mermaid in the attic said...

Wonderful Valerianna! Oh how I long to have a white Christmas, just once! Hope you had a wonderful solstice celebration, it sounds perfect.

Valerianna said...

stregata - Thanks! Many blessings of peace and happiness to you, too.

Julie- That woven piece was bought in the coastal town of Kusadasi, Turkey, not far from the ancient city of Ephesus. I love it, too!

mermaid - There's an open invitation to make the long journey to RavenWood for a white Christmas should you be so inspired.... it would be lovely to dance around the Solstice Fire together!

steven said...

what a world! the season is filled with tiny portals into magic and in my own cosmology, magic is the candle that lights the way to the love that connects everything. have a peaceful day! steven

Virginia said...

Oh! You've inspired me to take pictures of my own ornaments. Thank you.

Suz said...

a grand and magical room you have
I have that santa with the reindeer staff and my granddaughter is so drawn to it
wonderful post i so enjoyed it

Umā said...

What a gorgeous tree and decorations - have a beautiful Christmas!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

How perfectly perfect to have owls on your tree!
Wishing you a most Happy Christmas!

Reading Tea Leaves said...

Such beautiful decorations Valeriana, and all with their own stories to tell. Your posts are always full of joy and life - the Winter Solstice must have been quite magical there.

Wishing you and Pasha a wonderful Christmas celebration!

Jeanne
x

(Karen) Lisa Daley said...

Happy Winter Solstice - belatedly! Wishing you peace and joy this Holiday Season. Your tree is beautiful. xo, Lisa

Unknown said...

V - Love seeing your celebrations. A belated Solstice greeting to you and Pasha. We await the arrival of our new wood stove on Monday's barge - William Wallace imagines himself relaxing in its warmth like hard working Pasha. Happy New Year!

Lauren Raine said...

How wonderful it must have been to celebrate Yule at your home.

illustration poetry said...

stopping by to wish you AND Pasha a happy new year!! :))

xxoo

Gwen Buchanan said...

The very best of this year and more of the next

... Love that cozy fire!!

stephanie dosen said...

solstice & yule blessings! your santas are snowy magic &
your guardian owl is beautiful.
continued flowing of creative energy
to you throughout the coming year.
spirals.. snow angels.. paw prints.. mystery trees
♥ xoxo

yew tree nights said...

I love the owl that tops your tree... he looks like he is frozen in the act of circling round and round it. You must've had a lovely yule... everything looks so warm and welcoming in the photos, how lovely!

Valerianna said...

steven - yes... magical portals everywhere.

suz - I bet your granddaughter and I would get along famously!

m- you too.

Pamela - yes, it wouldn't be my tree without an owl or two.

Jeanne- thanks, and hope you're holidays were wonderful.

Lisa- happy belated everything to you, too.

susan -Hope your stove arrived safely and that William Wallace is splayed out in wood stove glory by now!

Lauren - we had fun..... many more stories to tell about the santas and the reindeer.

Sympathy - thanks from us, happy new year to you and all the creatures on your pages.

Gwen - I seem to remember that you have the exact same Jotul stove... I bet you're as cozy as we. Happy new year!

faerie finder - blessings to you, too... got to get back into the studio to make more spirals... quite an obsession!

jodi - the owl does look that way, thanks for inviting me to see that!