Stonehenge

Stonehenge always gets a little extra attention at a solstice.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. It is one of the most famous sites in the world.

Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. It is actually the center of a complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments.

Archaeologists had believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC. The complex included a large timber circle and a second avenue that were constructed 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) away at Durrington Walls overlooking the River Avon.

This timber circle was orientated towards the rising sun on the winter solstice and opposing the solar alignments at Stonehenge. The "avenue" was aligned with the setting sun on the summer solstice and led from the river to the timber circle.

Evidence has been found of huge fires that were burned on the banks of the Avon between the two avenues. This suggests to researchers that these two circles were linked. This may have been a processional route on the longest and shortest days of the year.

Michael Parker Pearson speculates that the wooden circle at Durrington Walls was the center of a "land of the living" and that the the stone circle at Stonehenge represented a "land of the dead."

The Oxford English Dictionary cites Ælfric's 10th-century glossary, in which henge-cliff is given the meaning "precipice", a hanging or supported stone.

So, the stanenges or Stanheng "not far from Salisbury" recorded by 11th-century writers are  the "supported stones".

The origin of this place name is probably from the Old English words stān meaning "stone", and either hencg meaning "hinge" (because the stone lintels hinge on the upright stones) or hen(c)en meaning "hang" or "gallows" since the stones look like the medieval gallows with two uprights with a lintel joining them (as opposed to the modern inverted L gallows we would draw).

Photo and Information: http://stonehengenews.wordpress.com
More information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge 
Stonehenge Complete
A Brief History of Stonehenge
If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge (for kids)
Solving Stonehenge: The Key to an Ancient Enigma  

Video:
Stonehenge Decoded
Nova: Secrets of Stonehenge

Yule

Most of us have heard the word "Yule" used around this time of the year. Yule or Yule-tide ("Yule-time") is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival.

Over the centuries parts of it was absorbed into the Christian celebration of Christmas.

The original Yule was celebrated over a number of days from late December to early January, but the main day was determined by the lunar Germanic calendar.

The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian/Julian calendar was adopted.

"Yule" is the modern English version of the Old English words ġeól (the 12-day festival of Yule") and ġeóla (the month of  Yule).

Both words are probably derived from Germanic and there are similar words in Old Norse, Danish, Swedish and Norwegia. Terms with an etymological equivalent to "Yule" are still used in the Nordic Countries for the Christian Christmas, but also for other religious holidays of the season.

Yule is also used to a lesser extent in English-speaking countries to refer to Christmas. It is more likely to be used for some of the older customs that have survived especially the Yule log (the one is the fireplace, not the modern cake!), and including the Yule feast, the Yule goat, Yule boar, and Yule singing.

Yule is still observed today as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.

Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt that occurred at the time of the
Winter Solstice.

Yule marks the death and the rebirth of the Sun God. The time also marks the vanquishing of the Holly King (the god of the Waning Year) by the Oak King (God of the Waxing Year). 

Modern Christmas celebrations are full of pagan symbology. Santa Claus can be seen as the Holly King. His sleight can be seen as solar chariot. The eight reindeer are the eight Sabbats and their horns represent the Horned God. The North Pole symbolizes the Land of Shadows and the dying solar year.


Yule as a "midwinter" (winter solstice) festival was celebrated by the pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people people. It was called Jul, midvinterblot, Julblot, jólablót, and julofferfest.


Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth
The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas
Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide
The Fires of Yule: A Keltelven Guide for Celebrating the Winter Solstice 

Marcy Playground

 

I received two emails the past month about Marcy Playground, so here is some origin talk on them.

They are an American alternative rock band that emerged in the 1990s. It has three members: John Wozniak (lead vocals, guitar), Dylan Keefe (bass), and Shlomi Lavie (drums). The band is probably best known for their 1997 hit "Sex and Candy".

On their own website, they have said that the band is named after the Marcy Open grade school in Minneapolis. That is an alternative school that John Wozniak attended, and he chose the name because many of his songs were inspired by his childhood.

Some of their recordings include:
Mp3
Indaba Remixes From Wonderland
Marcy Playground
Saint Joe On The School Bus
Shapeshifter
Sex & Candy (Phantom)
Download songs by Marcy Playground

UB40

  

UB40 are a British reggae band formed in 1978 which has had more than 50 singles in the UK singles chart. They are an international success having sold over 70 million records.

Their No.1 hit singles include two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love", while "I Got You Babe" also topped the UK singles chart.

The name "UB40" was selected in reference to the document issued to people claiming unemployment benefit from the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security during the 1970s.

"UB40" stood for Unemployment Benefit, Form 40. People had to fill out the form to receive public assistance or welfare.

When you complete this form it is known as "signing on" (signing on to welfare). "Signing off" then refers to returning to employment, and the the title of their first album is Signing Off.



Very Best of UB40
Signing Off
TwentyFourSeven
Labour of Love 1 2 & 3
Who You Fighting For
Rat in the Kitchen
UB40: Live at Montreux 2002

Thanksgiving, the Day

In the United States, Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Thursday of November. (In Canada, it is celebrated on the second Monday in October.)

The precise historical origin of the holiday is disputed. Americans generally believe that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621, at Plymouth Plantation, in Massachusetts.

There is also evidence that celebrations occurred in Canada in 1578 and that it was celebrated by Spanish explorers in Florida in 1565.

Whether it is called "Thanksgiving Day" or not outside the U.S., it is a harvest festival to express thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation to God, family and friends for those good things (be they material possessions or relationships) of the past year. Traditionally in many cultures, a time is set aside to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Thanksgiving in the United States was observed on various different dates throughout history. By the mid 20th century, the final Thursday in November had become the customary day and in 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill into law making Thanksgiving a national holiday and settling it to the fourth (but not final) Thursday in November. (FDR had actually pushed two years earlier to move the date earlier in the year to give the country an economic boost and not have it run into the Christmas holiday season.)

In the U.S., this holiday has moved away from its earliest religious roots. It has also managed to remain relatively non-commercial compared to other holidays - and for that, we give thanks.