A Time of Darkness

“Hello darkness, my old friend.” – The Sound of Silence, written by Paul Simon

As I wrote in my previous blog, the Winter Solstice is known as Yule in Northern European Paganism as well as neopagan Wicca. Because of the Earth’s changing tilt, its North Pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun on that day. The result is the longest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere.

People have mixed reactions to nighttime and darkness. For some, the reaction is negative. This feeling isn’t unreasonable, for the night can hide many dangers. The darkness of night can also bring on a sense of sadness and loneliness. Others find great beauty in the darkness. The world at night takes on mystical air. The shadows and the moon’s eerie glow create a sense of magic at night.

If you have a dark allure, which is a passion for the night and the dark, as I have, relish this time of year. However, if you find this dark time disturbing, know it won’t last forever. Days will shorten as the tilt of the Earth gradually moves back towards the Sun.

Remember, everything changes, and the darkness never lasts.