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This is Saulė, the Latvian and Lithuanian goddess of the sun, patroness of orphaned children, in a sleigh led by female reindeer.
The winter solstice was celebrated as her return; she was said to fly in the sky and toss amber pebbles into chimneys.
#Christmas2020 #Christmas
The winter solstice was celebrated as her return; she was said to fly in the sky and toss amber pebbles into chimneys.
#Christmas2020 #Christmas
Ever since the early Neolithic, when the earth was much colder, the female reindeer was venerated by northern people. Unlike the male, she did not shed her antlers. She was the “life-giving mother”, leader of herds; they followed reindeer migrations for milk, food, and clothing.
From the British Isles, Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, across the Bering Strait, the female reindeer was a revered spiritual figure associated with fertility, motherhood, regeneration and the rebirth of the sun, the central theme of winter solstice, what we now call #Christmas
The colours red and white are thought to descend from Siberian legends, in which the reindeer took flight each winter after ingesting the hallucinogenic Amanita Muscaria mushroom, the archetypal red toadstool with white spots. Female shamans would join them on a vision quest.
It is likely that the traditional wear of women shamans is the true source for Santa’s costume. It was these women who "flew" with the Deer Mother on hallucinogenic vision quests on the longest and darkest night.
Beivve is the Sun Goddess of the Sámi people. At solstice, they rubbed butter on doorposts so that she could fly higher into the sky. Beivve was often shown accompanied by her daughter in an enclosure of reindeer antlers and they returned fertility to the land.
The myth of "Santa" was based on the Sun Goddess myths of northern people. Santa was a woman, and all the reindeer were female, as well.
Male reindeer shed their antlers in late autumn. Females are the ones who keep their antlers until the springtime after they give birth.
Male reindeer shed their antlers in late autumn. Females are the ones who keep their antlers until the springtime after they give birth.
The Sámi people herd domestic reindeer, a position which allowed women to escape the "domestic sphere" and enter the "public sphere."
Do these traditional Sámi shoes remind you of anything? Santa's elves, perhaps?
Do these traditional Sámi shoes remind you of anything? Santa's elves, perhaps?
The longest night was called “Mother Night” as it was during this time that the Goddess worked her magic to nurture the seeds laying in the earth so that new life could emerge. #Christmas is a time to celebrate the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth. https://feminismandreligion.com/2016/12/18/the-reindeer-goddess-by-judith-shaw/
is a time to celebrate the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth. https://feminismandreligion.com/2016/12/18/the-reindeer-goddess-by-judith-shaw/
The Winter Solstice celebrated female life-giving powers through female reindeer, shamans and Sun Goddesses who restored fertility to the Earth. Like so much of women's history, it was stolen by men and rewritten with a male lead.
Let us remember the true meaning of #Christmas
Let us remember the true meaning of #Christmas
"While these women are largely forgotten today, the Deer Mother still lives in our #Christmas decorations and tales.
While we may not recognize her, I believe some deep part of ourselves still remembers “Mother Christmas” who brought life to the world." https://gathervictoria.com/2017/12/15/doe-a-deer-a-female-deer-the-spirit-of-mother-christmas/
decorations and tales.While we may not recognize her, I believe some deep part of ourselves still remembers “Mother Christmas” who brought life to the world." https://gathervictoria.com/2017/12/15/doe-a-deer-a-female-deer-the-spirit-of-mother-christmas/
Amanita muscaria 
is found under conifers and birch trees, just like presents found under the Christmas tree.
Reindeer deliberately seek out the mushroom; even Rudolph's red nose may have been a reference to the shamanic ritual. https://medium.com/@mustaphahitani/santa-was-a-magic-mushroom-d3065b05e76f
is found under conifers and birch trees, just like presents found under the Christmas tree.Reindeer deliberately seek out the mushroom; even Rudolph's red nose may have been a reference to the shamanic ritual. https://medium.com/@mustaphahitani/santa-was-a-magic-mushroom-d3065b05e76f
