![]() They were seen as sacred and magickal plants because they did not appear to die during the winter. Of course, the evergreen has special magic because it stayed green all winter long. The evergreen, like holly + mistletoe, were thought to have magical powers, guarding homes against the dark spirits of winter + honoring the gods + goddesses of nature. as sacred, holy images of the truth of the cycle of the season and eternal life. They brought them into their homes to honor + revere them. ![]() Tradition has it that ancient pagans used evergreens to celebrate the coming return of light. Bringing light + color + fragrance into their homes. A symbol that ancient people relied on to provide them something to hold onto in the hopeless, never-ending dark that surrounded them. It’s no wonder, then, that since everything around them seemed dead, bare, empty, and hopeless, the evergreen tree, standing tall + strong + green became a symbol of deep hope. But, I dare say that the ancient Celtic + Nordic folk of the north needed it more than we could possible imagine today. In the cold + dark of winter, we are in desperate need of hope. No matter how you celebrate during the winter season, these symbols are most likely found in your own traditions and rituals in one way or another.Īnd, isn’t that beautiful? Isn’t that just what we need? Symbols, traditions, and rituals that unite us? Like a deep, flowing, universal river of truth. And, amazingly, these symbols seem to be timeless and universal, stretching across countries, religions, and history. So, I’d like to share a short little guide to some of the most common ancient symbols of the winter season. And, if we skip over the meaning behind all that we do, then we miss the deepest, most hopeful part of the season.īut, if we practice our traditions + rituals with a sense of mindful awareness, if we honor the histories behind celebrations of the season, then all of the ancient symbols will give a deeper meaning to our present day holiday. It’s so easy to let the winter season come and go each year, celebrate the things we celebrate, and not even give a second thought about what all of the traditions, rituals, and symbols of the season mean. But, traditions + rituals can also begin to feel empty, if we don’t really stop and think about what or why we do what we do. ![]() And symbolism, oh how I love symbolism and myth and legend and ancient ways. However, with all of the hustle and bustle, or simply without giving it any thought and just doing what we always do, we may forget to remember what all of the ancient symbols, traditions, and rituals of the season really mean. The season of winter, with all of its sacred celebrations, is one of those times that is filled with traditions, rituals, and symbols that return year after year. ![]() Or how we want to do it because we love it. You know, sometimes we do things without really thinking about why we do them. ![]()
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