The Longest Night

Yesterday was the shortest day and last night was the longest night.

With the POTUS violating the constitution and bragging about it,

I guess it is no surprise.

Meanwhile, here is Jon Stewart with this week in God.

And here are the origins of all this holiness.

"The seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5º tilt of the earth's axis. Because the earth is rotating like a top or gyroscope, it points in a fixed direction continuously -- towards a point in space near the North Star. But the earth is also revolving around the sun. During half of the year, the southern hemisphere is more exposed to the sun than is the northern hemisphere.

During the rest of the year, the reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere the sun appears high in the sky during summertime and low in the sky during winter. The time of the year when the sun reaches its maximum elevation occurs on the day with the greatest number of daylight hours.

This is called the summer solstice, and is typically on JUN-21 in the Northern Hempisphere -- the first day of summer. "Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still.

The lowest elevation occurs about DEC-21 and is the winter solstice -- the first day of winter, when the night time hours are maximum.

In pre-historic times, winter was a very difficult time for Aboriginal people in the northern latitudes. The growing season had ended and the tribe had to live off of stored food and whatever animals they could catch. The people would be troubled as the life-giving sun sank lower in the sky each noon. They feared that it would eventually disappear and leave them in permanent darkness and extreme cold.

After the winter solstice, they would have reason to celebrate as they saw the sun rising and strengthening once more. Although many months of cold weather remained before spring, they took heart that the return of the warm season was inevitable. The concept of birth and or death/rebirth became associated with the winter solstice.

The Aboriginal people had no elaborate instruments to detect the solstice. But they were able to notice a slight elevation of the sun's path within a few days after the solstice -- perhaps by

DEC-25.

Consequently, celebrations were often timed for about the 25th. "

If you are planning to build a solar house or addition, today and tomorrow are great days for marking the points of the sun's setting and rising.

Because it is close to the third quarter, the moon, which will be rising around 2:00 A M, will be in the place of the sun during the equinox. You can therefore use it to help with your placements in the mornings today and tomorrow.

Take today to feel the earth turning.

Take the time to find yourself in the creation.

Take measured comfort that out of all of this political darkness,

An awakening may come.

And a new spring of life.

For the Earthfamily.



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* art courtesy of peirre pothron