Friday December 21st - edited by Patty Greenall This week in Astro News: ~ The Winter Solstice ~ ~ Astrology and infertility ~ ~ Astrology and caesarean births ~ Today is the Winter Solstice, the ancient cosmic event on which the festival of Christmas was based. But behind the history of the Christmas festival lies a fascinating story of cultural theft both ancient and modern. We have Coca Cola to thank for the modern day image of Father Christmas. Until the 1930s, Saint Nicholas, the gift-giver, had always been depicted in green. Artist Haddon Sundblom painted him in Coca Cola's corporate colours and the jovial red-clad image we now know was born. The company's action was merely following a well-established tradition of 'cultural theft' surrounding our mid-winter solstice festival. In Roman times, solstice celebrations became Saturnalia, in honour of Saturnus, the harvest god, and Mithras, the ancient god of light. It was a form of sun worship that came to Rome from Syria. The festival announced that winter is not forever, that life continues, and it was an invitation to stay in good spirit. In 274AD, solstice fell on December 25. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as 'Natalis Solis Invicti,' the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320AD, Pope Julius I specified December 25 as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ. In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, finally changed the ancient solstice celebrations into Christmas, announcing that it would be an immovable feast, officially celebrated as the birth of Christ. To pagans, it is also called Yule, the day a huge log - the Yule Log - is added to a bonfire, around which everyone would dance and sing to awaken the sun from its long winter sleep. Robert Milne, a Wiccan - or 'white witch' - who will be celebrating tonight, explains: "At the precise moment of the solstice, 7.21pm, small groups of people in Britain and throughout the world will be gathered separately but globally in common worship and celebration. In northern climes they will be, ideally, outdoors in woodland glades, dressed in warmest clothing. If such a location or back garden is not available, then they will assemble in a private home. "They will be grouped in a circle, which occasionally they will collectively rotate in a deosyl (clockwise) direction, sometimes earnestly and solemnly, yet also merrily and joyfully. They will hold candles with which to pierce this darkest and longest of all nights, to receive this tiniest symbol of warmth, and to arouse intrinsic feelings of hope that light, warmth, and new life will soon return. "The Wheel of the Year reaches its lowest point and the shortest day, as the Sun, the patriarch, the God, the Father, has left us and gone away on his annual travels. "Yet the temporary stillness and contemplation at such group circles also holds the magickal knowledge that after every ending, such as the Winter Solstice, there is always a new beginning, that termination is always followed by a commencement, that rebirth is always the consequence of death. "Such Cosmic law has been known to pagans throughout history, and is still practised today by increasing numbers of Wiccans (male and female witches) and Druids. "There are eight major annual festivals - four solar and four lunar. As a solar festival, Wiccan ritual at the Winter Solstice circle emphasises Male Divinity, where the new King is born as the Sun God begins his return. Trees and foliage are decorated in bright ribbons and streamers. Coloured candles are placed at cardinal points around the circle to acknowledge the four elements of air, fire, water, and earth. Union of such four energies develops the fifth element of Spirit." Are you interested in taking part in research into astrology and infertility? Pat Harris, MSc., is researching a PhD in the application of astrology to health psychology at the University of Southampton, UK. She is looking at factors, astrological and psychological, that might correlate with the success and failure of treatment for infertility. I am also looking for volunteers among women who are already pregnant without the aid of fertility treatment and who would consider taking part in my research. If you are a woman who has undergone fertility treatment (e.g., IVF or IUI, etc.) in the past or are planning to, in the future your experiences could be very helpful. If you would like to know more about the study please contact Pat Harris on pharris@interalpha.co.uk for more details. Astrology and caesarean births Wendy Stacey is currently carrying out research on caesarean births and how it may influence the Astrological birthchart. She is in need of data, and would be grateful if anyone who was born by caesarean, or is a mother of a caesarean birth, would be willing to send their birth data to her. The data required is the date of birth, place of birth and exact time of birth. No other information is required for the research and all replies will be treated in the strictest of confidence. To send your details please email: wendya@psilink.co.uk Thank you for your assistance.