On the 21st we went out to Great Barrington to join Molly, Gaelen, Eden and John at a private solstice party at Simon's Rock College. It was a gathering of Steiner School families who got together to share poems, songs, cello and accordian music and storytelling on this the longest night. The room was darkened and everyone stood in a circle each holding a candle which they lit from the one held by the person on their left. People were then invited to light a candle on a central tree with a prayer or a hope or a blessing. Then it was snack and social time before we were treated to a Mummer play that frankly made no sense and was a little bawdy but did feature a rousing rendition of a sword dance. This was Gaelen's favorite part and he was even seen to be clapping along. We took Gaelen home with us and he spent Thursday and Friday night with us.

As we were eating breakfast we watched people next door arriving with presents. We mentioned to Gaelen that Santa would not be visiting our house. He asked why and we told him we celebrate the return of the light and the awakening of the seed deep within the earth rather than Christams, and Santa and presents. Gaelen told us we should try it, we would like it, all the presents. Gaelen is abit fixated on the gifts as Molly and John celebrate not only Christmas but Hanukkah and the solstice as well which means he's been getting gifts now everyday for about 2 weeks. We did not get him anything but did allow him to watch Return of the Jedi with us.

On the 22nd we went down to the river again at sunset and built a bonfire to light this longest of nights and ignite the seed slumbering within the earth and our hearts. Colleen lit the candles for our dream ritual on Thursday when we got back from Great Barrington but our sleep was too deep to remember our dreams. Maybe next year :( and we never did make it up to Mt. Pollux for sunrise at it was pouring rain. Instead we took a walk as a family to the Library.

On Saturday we had pancakes for breakfast and played hide n seek for an hour or so. Gaelen gets all upset when he is found, even if we take a loooooong time to find him and he calls out to us giving us clues he still gets upset when he is found. He also is having issues with Ambiana who wants to be with him all the time. We heard him exclaim "She keeps following me, she won't leave me alone. I AM SO SICK OF HER FOLLOWING ME! I had to have a talk with him about how she only sees him once a week and is very excited to be with him and that part of being a big brother is to help his little sisters grow and learn. Couldn't help noticing how much he sounded like Molly when he said that and it aches to know he is in such a sad situation at home.

Gaelen is now in Ohio and we are hoping Molly and he will return on the 5th of January like she said. I think she will and when she does it will be time to have a talk about changing visitation as I feel the present schedule has outlived its usefulness. I would like to have him every other weekend from Friday at 5pm to Sunday at 6pm, freeing up a weekend for both Molly and us and also to have 2 nights and almost 2 full days to be a parent to him.

Winter Soulstice for 2006 will occur in North America on December 21 at 7:22 pm EST. Winter Soulstice, time of the seed, the New Moon time of the solar orbit cycle. Indoor time, inward time, time when the seed is buried within the Earth preparing and awaiting for the impulse to break forth towards the surface and grow. Civilized humanity is humanity separated from the cycles of Natural time, is humanity shackled to 24/7 Machine time. Stripped of our connection to the World Soul we are prey to di-ease and de-lusion; the individual sacrificed to the Cultural -Whole with a whole host of pharmaceutical remedies to ease the symptoms and mask the root cause of our dis-harmony.

In order to heal we need as a culture to free ourselves from the mental slavery of a belief in an abstarct and absent God. Our faith in a higher power gives us solace and empowers us while at the same time divides us as there is no proof but faith for our belief. We must shed this illusion and look to the world of Nature in order to find our power. Here on Earth we are part of a greater whole called the biosphere, here is a tangible God/dess we can see, hear, touch and feel. Each of us is of the Earth, each of us a piece of the divine, to honor the Earth is to honor ourselves and our place in the Universe. Replace Heaven and Hell with a sustainable culture and lifestyle rather than futile attempst at attaining material power in some misguided quest to emulate a diety which exists only within our deluded minds.

This is the winter seed to plant on a cultural level. What seed you plant this winter on a personal level only you can decide. Winter was once a time when the long dark nights were spent passing on the the cultural history and myths to the younger generation. Presently our minds reel with the 24/7 mass media deluge of culture myths and propaganda, contradictory and confusing, emanating from our TV's, our Multiplexes and our Ipods. This Winter unplug and think carefully about what stories you choose to share with your tribe. Do you keep with the current programming of an endless supply of energy and resources, materialism and consumerism or do you start to talk Truth?

Our Tribe will be celebrating the Winter Soustice at our house with a feast and sunset fire. Colleen is preparing a Dream ritual for the evening and in the morning we will climb Mt. Pollux to welcome the rising sun and honor the light growing within each of us. All are invited to join us. Send an email to clumpykut@yahoo.com to RSVP.