by Miki Marks Main Image: A New Zealand Christmas tree – the Pohutukawa
The 21st of December is the Winter Solstice and is both the shortest day and the official start of winter. Not everyone’s favourite date, and many think that the Christmas celebrations are well timed to lift the spirits. In pagan times it was believed that the Winter Solstice marked the rebirth of the sun – an event looked forward to with joy – and some anxiety, as there was no certainty that the sun would return without the right magic and rituals. Bonfires were lit to encourage the sun to return – and there was a good deal of merry making. The tradition of the Yule log and the evergreen decorations is very, very ancient.
Europeans settling in other places would take their Christmas traditions with them. In Uruguay, where I grew up, it was the start of summer and already quite warm. But it was usual to have a small pine tree to bring indoors and decorate, sing carols about bleak mid winters and to eat a large and unsuitable meal at midday, even down to the Christmas pudding which was, of course, doused in brandy and set alight. In New Zealand, a native tree of the myrtle family, the Pohutukawa bursts with glorious crimson flowers around this time, earning it the name of the Kiwi or New Zealand Christmas tree. A new tradition and appropriately local.
This month there are two new moons, on the 1st December and the 31st,which only happens about once every 33 months. They are sometimes called ‘black moons’ because the illuminated face of the moon is facing away from the earth. For some spiritual traditions, black moons are a time for stillness and quiet reflection. I usually get up twice a night and always open the window at the back of the house to take a look. I love the world at night – and when the street lights are off and everyone is in bed, the world takes on a life of its own. There is a special ‘night smell’. Without moonlight, the stars are that much brighter. There might be a storm to watch and listen to. Or, best of all, fog, which deadens sound and turns the familiar world into something strange and mysterious.
There is an old country saying “If you want to live and thrive, let a spider run alive” For some time now I have been watching a spider. It has spun a web just outside my landing window and if I stand on the top step, I am inches from it, the other side of the glass. It has built a beautiful web, which it patrols daily, repairing tears and replenishing the little sticky blobs which it places strategically on some of the threads, to catch its prey. I now know that it is a garden spider – araneus diadematus – the latter name refers to the dotted diamond pattern on its back. It spends most of its time just under the eaves – a tight little ball with its legs tucked in and generally comes down to the centre of the web in the early evening. I called the spider Spinosa – after my favourite philosopher – only to realise that what I was seeing was undoubtedly a female and the poor male had probably been gobbled up after mating. Nature’s ways can sometimes seem shocking but it has its own rules, and no food source is wasted. Spinosa’s (1632-1677) philosophy is very popular now as it chimes in with modern thinking about the oneness of nature.
In her new book, Good Nature, Prof. Baroness Kathy Willis has collated decades of research into how nature can improve our physical and mental health. It examines the usual suggestions about getting out in nature, having plenty of houseplants, listening to birdsong, hugging a tree, or even make sure your screensaver has a natural scene to look at. I found the research into why some of these changes could make such a difference most interesting. Hugging trees lowers blood pressure, spider plants improve indoor air quality which apparently boosts gut health. The research into the benefits of connecting with nature suggest two major reasons why this should be so. Firstly, we respond positively to nature because we are part of nature itself and it is able to trigger deep responses in our minds and bodies. Secondly, the theory is that we now tend to be ‘uni-focussed’ , particularly on screens for work or leisure, and ignore all other information going on in our environment, which can create fatigue and stress. We understand the world best by engaging all our senses. Even 10 minutes outside can make a difference.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for a healthy, peaceful New Year.
