The dim light of afternoon Quickly fades; The shortest day.
It’s the Winter Solstice today, the shortest day, and the longest night of the year. From this day onwards the daylight begins a slow and initially almost imperceptible lengthening. Whatever religion or culture one follows, surely this day is worth celebrating?
Up from the earth, Down from the sky, The circle of life surrounds us.
With the light increasing, there will be within us an awakening: the dark turning into the light; a notion that the hibernation of winter will end; the old year is dying and a new year is being born.
Stand in the circle, Dance in the light, Embrace our place in the cosmos.
Ashley
A Different View 
Thank you for this beautiful tribute to the longest night, my friend.
Happy Winter Solstice!
🙏🌌🌑🝯👌
Thank you, Marina, for your lovely comments. I’ve been for my morning walk, early, and it is a fresh bright day here, blowing the last of the leaves from the trees! 🌹🙋♂️
Sounds like a wonderful walk!
🙏🌷😊
Definitely one to celebrate, Ashley. The day has a special feel to it, calm and bright after several grim days. It’s also my birthday! Best wishes.
Here it’s blustery and bright with the last of that oak tree’s leaves being blown away. Best wishes for your birthday, Michael.🎂 An expensive month then? My wife’s birthday is in the first week of December and besides Christmas, we also have our wedding anniversary afterwards! 👛😟
Thank you, Ashley. Yours sounds a more expensive season. 🙂
Lovely thoughts as always. The longest night. Can see how magical winter solstice is for early civilizations, especially because of how connected they are to the earth.
Absolutely! And I hope my celebrations of the wheel of the year will remind others of their connection to the natural world and the cosmos. Thank you for dropping by 🐢💓🙏🙋♂️
I like what you said, “Whatever religion or culture one follows, surely this day is worth celebrating?” We don’t need a religion to celebrate the winter solstice. Its significance is lost at/near the equator, but for us mid-latitude folk and higher (or lower, in the southern hemisphere), the solstice means a lot! Nice photo of my favorite tree and beautiful poems, especially the opening hokku! Hope you are enjoying this day, Ashleaf!
Hi Edo-san, thanks for your visit. So far the day has been good. My early walk this morning was in bright sunshine even though the sun was low in the sky. Also, it was breezy and many of the old dried-up leaves that until now were hanging onto the branches were being blown around me: “the circle of life”.
Wonderful and uplifting words and splendid tree photo ❤
Happy Winter Solstice and Christmas season to you and yours.
Dear Marina, thank you. That tree is in a neighbour’s garden but it is such a feature in my life! Happy holidays and festive greetings to you and yours too. My card is in the next post! 🌹🙋♂️
❤
Happy Winter Solstice! Such a lovely collection here 🙂
Thank you, Bridgette, for your lovely comments. Happy Winter Solstice to you! 🌹🙋♂️
Happy solstice, Ashley! I love your poetry. The solstice has so much meaning for us all, and has been celebrated in so many cultures. Many blessings to you & yours as we move toward more light! 🌞
Dear Lisa, thank you! It is a wonderful celebration of the changing light. Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comments about my verses. 🌹🙋♂️
Thank you, Ashley, for the wonderful reflections on this important day!
Joanna
Dear Joanna, I’ve been so caught up in this that I nearly missed your Dickens Christmas Story post! Thank you for visiting and for your much appreciated comments 🌹🎅
You are always welcome, Dear Ashley! Please don’t miss my upcoming Christmas post!
Joanna xxx
Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure 🌹🙋♂️
You are writing so beautifully, it is a delight to read it.
Enjoy the Winter Solstice!
I am always kind of relieved when this day has come as for me it looks now again evenmore beautiful when the nights get shorter, indeed a time to celebrate!
Dear Ute, it is lovely to hear from you. Some technical gremlins infiltrated my blog and I lost you (also a few others). Your comments are very much appreciated; thank you. Yes! I too love this day for the same reason as you! 🌹🙋♂️
And now – we all look forward with hope even as the winter does its worst, in the months ahead.
All seasons matter. All have their beauty and purpose. All will change. And then again.
Thank you, Josie, for your wonderful comment! 🌹🙋♂️
Yes, worth celebrating!
Thank you, John. Hope you’re not suffering under the snow and ice. Wishing you a happy Xmas 🎄
You as well!