The Real Meaning of Christmas
A nice tree with a gnarled spirit!
Another nice tree to worship.
Doesn’t look like a shaman to me – high on some hallucinatory drug!
The Real Meaning of Christmas
The real meaning of Christmas is locked away in pagan mythology. Most religions that usurp other religions take over the ceremonies of previous religions and modify and adopt them. Christianity did this with both Christmas and Easter.
What we now have as a Christmas celebration – the birth of Jesus with all the nativity scenes – is actually a celebration of the winter solstice.
The winter solstice was celebrated by ancient tribes all over the world. It is, in the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year. The days are drawing out, though, because of the way the earth cools, the coldest winter months are still all ahead. This celebration was accompanied by ritual and feasting.
We see a number of the Nordic traditions surviving.
The Christmas tree is a throw-back to the animism of old where spirits were thought to inhabit trees, streams, rivers and rocks. Tree worship was a world-wide religion; we still touch wood for luck. In Scandinavia it was prevalent in the shamanistic tradition.
Santa Claus is another throwback to Scandinavian lore. The shaman used magic potions of hallucinogenic mushrooms to fly through the sky on a sled with his reindeer to converse with the gods. The mushrooms were Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric, and had bright red caps flecked with white. Nowadays Santa Claus (Father Christmas) decked in his bright red and white costume flies through the sky magically to bring gifts to people. These used to be the gifts of insight and wisdom. Now they are usually plastic goods of dubious durability.
So mixed up with our story of Jesus we have tree worship and hallucinatory acid trips.
It’s a heady mix for a small kid to take in!
Namaste Opher, how are you? 🙂
Third time out for this insightful post – the recent Blog included – but this far more detailed and more biting. Personally, I relish the completely surreal idea of a Scandinavian Shaman (Santa) descending the chimney high on Psilocybin wearing a flecked red-cap and engaging me in mystical conversation whilst they sit feasting on mince pies and milk: the stories they’d likely share would be a gift unto themselves lol 🙂
The ‘nice tree with a gnarled spirit’ reminded me of Mufasa from the Lion King. Great to see you engaging with what Dali might describe as ‘the paranoiac-critical method,’ which amongst other things centred on optical illusions.
‘It’s a heady mix for a small kid to take in!’ – yes it is, but what a ride! lol 😀
Brightest Blessings for a joyous Christmas – be a good boy or there’ll be nothing under the tree for thee this year. Have a great day.
Namaste good friend,
DN
Cheers Dewin – as you can see I love stirring the pot. I like the idea too.
I think I’ve already blotted my copybook regarding behaviour! I’m not expecting presents under the tree!
As they say Opher, the art of giving is more rewarding than receiving, so I’m sure you’ll be rewarded one way or another.
Perhaps someone will buy you some humbugs this year lol 🙂
Namaste 🙂
DN
All I want is time! I want for nothing else!
Then be at peace Opher knowing Time is merely a human construct: you are timeless, ageless, eternal: it is your body that is subject to entropy. Should you choose to return again – if that is a choice one can make – then my suggestion might be to start writing from a far earlier age and plan a life of isolation living independently with pen and pad 😀
On a lighter note, I know exactly what you mean. Time is a premium commodity throughout much of December and January…look upon it as opportunity to take a breather so that you might hit the ground running – and smiling! – in early Spring.
Namaste 🙂
DN
Yes – it will be hectic for the next few days but after that it is back to a rewrite of God’s Bolt! I have a couple of new ideas to incorporate! The mind is never still!
Excellent! That’s the spirit Opher, channel the humbug and vent your spleen in attacking with crafted care your art. Good luck with the re-write…who knows quite where ideas will take you when you marry them to what is already existing.
Despite obligations and responsibilities as mentioned in email, I couldn’t resist starting a new image on the Photoshop loom and hope to get it done before Friday evening. Not sure quite what inspired this piece but I’m liking it so far and will labour with love to get it done. Indeed the Muse is an urgent mistress who doesn’t like to be ignored! lol 🙂
Anyway, I must away for a cat-nap before a late, late supper and then pushing on through the night with the art. I’ll leave you to please your Muse.
Until next time,
Namaste 🙂
DN
Give that muse full rein Dewin! That’s living! That is allowing the lifeforce to flow through you and make you alive.
In 2012, I found out about the connection between Christmas and the magic mushroom when I was trying to identify a beautiful mushroom I photographed in my backyard in Virginia. I linked to the article that I found about the history of the Amanita Muscaria and added it to my blog (with photo): https://storieswithnobooks.com/2013/03/15/mushroom-in-the-woods/
I’ll have a look.