This Little Light of Mine... - A Mountain Hearth

In the dark, quiet stillness of the winter, people all around the world are lighting candles, lamps, fires, and strands of shining lights to bring some brightness into their lives. Festivals of light are celebrated in many cultures and faiths, and carry on traditions both ancient and new. With winters here in Oregon being particularly dark and rainy, our family has enjoyed incorporating different light festivals into our home during the winter months. We are also fortunate to experience many light festivals at our children’s Waldorf school, making this a cheery time of year, indeed.

Here are a few different festivals of light that I have come to know about over the years. If I have left any out, it is not for lack of wanting to include them, these are simply the ones I know.

In Jewish traditions, the Hanukkah Festival is celebrated for eight days with the lighting of the Menorah each night to commemorate a miracle that took place in Palestine over 2100 years ago. In the midst of the desolated city of Jerusalem, the jar of Judas Maccabeus was found in the ruins of a temple, and remained burning for eight days as the men repaired their holy place. This is a celebration and rededication of the Jewish people to the ideals of religious freedom. The candles are lit beginning at the right using the “shammash”, a candle which is lit first every night with recitation of a blessing, and then used to light the other candles, adding one each night. The candles symbolize faith, freedom, courage, love, charity, integrity, knowledge and peace.

In Pagan traditions, the Winter Solstice is celebrated by lighting candles on the longest night of the year in ceremonies to persuade the sun to return and bring light to the earth once again. The Solstice is a turning point in the wheel of the year, with the symbolic death of the sun, and its rebirth from the womb of the Goddess, Mother Earth. Plants die and their dormant seeds lie still in the earth. Many people stay up all night long keeping candles burning, singing, feasting and chanting to await the sunrise in the morning. In the the far north, ancient peoples worshiped the sun, and would burn great bonfires in the celebration of Yule, so that the sun may revive and return to sustain life. Greenery was brought indoors and lit with candles to remind people of the green, growing season and the Celts in Britain placed mistletoe on their altars. Some families today will light a special Solstice candle to keep burning all night long.

In the African-American tradition of Kwanzaa, candles are lit for seven nights to introduce and reinforce the Nguzo Saba (the Seven Principles): Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). This exerpt comes from Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture by Maulana Karenga: “Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from 26 December thru 1 January, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language. The first-fruits celebrations are recorded in African history as far back as ancient Egypt and Nubia and appear in ancient and modern times in other classical African civilizations such as Ashantiland and Yorubaland. These celebrations are also found in ancient and modern times among societies as large as empires (the Zulu or kingdoms (Swaziland) or smaller societies and groups like the Matabele, Thonga and Lovedu, all of southeastern Africa. Kwanzaa builds on the five fundamental activities of Continental African “first fruit” celebrations: ingathering; reverence; commemoration; recommitment; and celebration… Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by Africans of all religious faiths.”

In Christian traditions, the birth of the Christ child is celebrated as the light of the world illuminating us in the darkness. Candles are lit, Christmas trees are brought indoors and lighted with cheery strands of lights, and people give one another gifts representing the gifts given to the baby Jesus. Celebrations like Advent celebrate the light in the four kingdoms of nature; stone, plant, animal and man, building up to Christmas with the celebration of mankind culminating at the nativity and birth of Christ. An advent wreath is created and a candle lit for each Sunday night of the Advent season up until Christmas. Many churches hold a Christmas eve service with joyful music and radiant candle light. Some people create beautiful nativity scenes, or Creches all lit with candles, and I once read in a Tasha Tudor book about one created way out in the snowy woods at the end of a pathway lined with candles.

Here are some excerpts on more festivals from a handout on Festivals of Light written by Shannon Foby, from our Waldorf kindergarten teachers:

“Each November, Hindu India celebrates the Festival of Divali in honor of Lakshmi, the benevolent mother goddess who brings abundance and good fortune. The golden lotus is the symbol of her life-giving power and of the sun’s creative energy. Divali commemorates the triumph of good over evil as the great Indian hero, Rama, defeats the ten-headed demon king Ravana. In the Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana, the people welcome Rama and his beloved wife, Sita, upon their return home by lighting lamps throughout the kingdom. Today, Hindu children make little pots of clay to fill with oil and wicks, and they place these in their window sills and around the edges of their roofs so that Lakshmi may see her way back to their homes, for she shuns dark places and may otherwise not find her way back to earth.”

“The Chinese celebrate a light festival in January whose roots are in antiquity and thus are difficult to trace. Ancient festivals were performed on the Altar of Heaven in Peking on the sun god’s birthday. A later festival still predating Confuscianism and Buddhism paid homage to Tsao Wang, god of fire, who punished those who broke heaven’s law. The legendary Red Emperor taught the people how to use fire and reign was distinguished by peace and love which could only come from kindness. In the modern festival, Tsao Wang is said to observe the behavior of family members throughout the year until, on the 23rd day of the 12th month, he ascents into heaven to report to the Jade Emperor what he has seen. The family prays to the kindly god and his image is placed in a chariot or horse made of paper or straw, which is set on fire to transport him to heaven. He returns a week later with ceremony and his bright new image is enshrined in the kitchen for another year as a reminder to think good thoughts and o good deeds to vanquish the evil of the world.”

“A Thai Festival of Buddhist and pre-Buddhist origin, a vestige of an early belief in the spirit of vegetation is known as Loy Krathong. The “Krathong” is traditionally made of scalloped cups or lotus blossoms into which a lit candle is placed. Everybody watches the cup float down the Chao Phraya river, for if the candle stays lit until the krathong disappears, your prayers and wishes will come true. Water is a vital force in Thai life, and the people ask the Mother of Waters to bless forgive the for having soiled and used the waters all year long. “

In honor of the beginning of these celebrations of light, here’s a song by one of my favorite folk singers, May Erlewine, “Shine On.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gWfOhhUJ2c

Let It Shine, Let it Shine, Let it Shine!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply