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Two Hollys and a Myth

Poinsettias graced the Flower Power series last Christmas season. You can read about it by clicking on this link: Poinsettia. Plant life is such a vital and intricate part of all celebrations it is hard to imagine not including their beauty.  Another seasonal favorite is English holly with its glossy green leaves and red berries.  Not as well known is Holly Oak, another member of Holly’s genus.

Ilex, Holly’s genus name, means “evergreen oak” when translated from Latin:  

• (English Holly) Ilex aquifolium originated in Europe, northern Africa and parts of Asia. 

• (Holly Oak) Quercus ilex comes from the Mediterranean region of Europe, including the western Himalayas.

English Holly is an evergreen plant which can grow into a tree or be sculpted into hedges.  It forms the understory in European forests but since being transplanted to North America its’ ability to reproduce has made it a potential problem.  The deep roots quickly snake down, making it a highly durable plant, difficult to eradicate and prone to overtake the environment.  Undeniably gorgeous though, English Holly is highly prized for holiday décor and so, after much debate, it is now a permanent resident here in the Pacific Northwest.  

Holly Oak is also an evergreen tree which can reach up to 90 feet in height under favorable conditions.  Once they are well-rooted, these trees grow and thrive for many centuries.  Some Holly Oaks growing today in Spain are well over 1,000 years old.  A picturesque silhouette with pendulous low-hanging branches, the Holly Oak gives a glorious regal appearance to any forest.

Both Holly and Holly Oak’s history in ancient celebrations is a long and fascinating one:

In Greek mythology, English Holly was sacred to Cronus and Holly Oak was sacred to Zeus.  The ancient Romans associated Holly with Saturn, the god of Agriculture, whose feast day was in the 12^th month, December.  The Holly (Holm) Oak was associated with Jupiter, the King of the Roman gods, in the 6^th month, June.

During the “Golden Age” of Roman mythology, “Saturnalia” was a December festival where people dressed in costumes and wore holly to embody the power of Saturn.  December 25, 275 CE the celebration of the Sun gods Mithra, Helio, Apollo and Sol were combined into one known as Sol Invictus (“the Invincible Sun”).  By 354, December 25 was officially designated as the birth date of Jesus.  In 567 the Saturnalia celebrations became what we now know as “Advent” and wreaths of holly were made to represent the eternal nature of the Divine. 

In Northern Europe, where for 12,000 years ancient people constructed solar circles and megalithic structures by which they sought to capture the Sun’s rays on the Winter Solstice, their 12-day celebration came to be called the “Yule tide”.  The word Yule is from the old Norse world Hjol which meant “wheel” of the year.  It was also the name of the sky father “Odin” or the “Yule One”.  Oak was sacred to Odin and it was burned as the Yule log for 12 days to bring luck for the months to come.

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The intermingling of Holly and Oak from ancient times result in a charming myth of vague origin and countless versions.  Here is one version:

The Holly King and the Oak King

Long before humans existed and before the seasons formally divided time into years there were two brothers.  One was full of light and in his presence everything grew and blossomed.  His crown was made of oak, symbolizing that tree’s nobility, strength and beauty. 

His brother was just as good-natured, but he understood the value of dark to balance every light.  With the darkness he brought rest and renewal.  In his presence the animals would seek their dens and the trees would lose their leaves as the world prepared for the penetrating cold that accompanied his appearance.  His crown was made of evergreen holly, a symbol of the sacred circle of life. 

Both brothers ruled equally for the most part, living in harmony until there arose a quarrel between them.  Some said it was the creation of humans that caused the rift because humans favored the Oak King.  They wanted to stay with him because they preferred bright, sunny days, thinking them more valuable than the Holly King’s darkness.  As the Oak King grew ever more powerful, the Holly King finally took himself far away. 

At first the people were thriving in the light of the endless summer days.  As time went on they began to grow weary.  The eternal cycle of life and death was broken.  Instead of rejoicing in the lush greenery and endless sunshine, it become commonplace, no longer delighting them.  The Oak King himself grew weak. 

The Holly King knew all of this, even from afar.  By the time he returned, the Oak King was too tired to put up a fight and so the Holly King put him into a deep sleep and assumed the kingship.  It was not long before the days grew shorter and the cold ensured death and decay as the lands were blanketed with snow.  The people and animals were able to rest.

After this, each year when the Holly King is at his dark strongest, at the height of his power on the longest night, the Oak King comes to challenge him, win the crown and gradually allow light to outshine the darkness.   Then, each year when the Oak King is at his bright strongest, at the height of his power on the longest day, the Holly King returns to challenge him and win the crown back again and the darkness gradually swallows the light. 

And so it is, the wheel of the year is ruled half by the Oak King’s bright light of flourishing fertility and half by the Holly King’s dark time of rest and renewal. 

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In festive celebrations such as Christmas, and others in every culture around the world, we still follow the ancient traditions of celebrating the return of light, of hope, of renewal.  Wreaths of holly and the burning of Yuletide oak continue to play an important role in many of these celebrations. 

Within the myth of the Holly and Oak Kings strains of ancient voices can be heard, reminding us of the push/pull duality of our world.  Before mankind the Kings did not fight for the crown.  Those struggles between the Kings came about because of humanity’s preference for light.  Within the myth, the Holly King’s actions show the healing power of periods of darkness. 

In our daily readings, words of the ancient wise tell us to value the duality by walking a middle road.  In our humanity, we celebrate victories such as great athletes who become world champions.  That is as it should be.  But without the darkness of hours of practice and taking regular periods of rest, that victory would not have been possible.

Our wish for all of us in this festive season is that we, as much as possible, embrace it all, both the light and the dark.  In the Northern Hemisphere we’ve come through a period of increasing darkness and, for now, we’re on our way into the light. 

Winter Solstice Myth

Winter Solstice and Mythology

As daylight dwindles and temperatures plunge in the Northern Hemisphere we say to each other, “Winter has arrived!”.  Astronomically winter officially begins with the Winter Solstice.  It is the culmination point of ever-darkening days initiated at the Summer Solstice.  The Winter Solstice is the longest and darkest night of the year, but it also signals the “return of the light”. 

In ancient times the sun’s withdrawal brought freezing temperatures, dying crops and serious implications.  Can we even imagine how it was to huddle in a fire-lit cave, not understanding why the sun was moving ever lower in the sky, taking away its life-giving heat and wondering if it was leaving forever? 

To survive it was imperative the people keep their lives in balance with the forces of nature, carefully studying the signs of earth and sky.  They learned to watch the sun to know when to plant, harvest or make preparations for the harshness of winter.

Difficult times, such as the sun’s diminishing radiance, sent the ancient people to their shamans and wise elders for explanations.  They needed reassurance that there was an order to the universe.  Without access to science as we know it, the wise ones of all cultures consulted their sacred practices and told the people the sacred stories they’d divined.

Those who study mythology realized these were not just stories to while away the long nights.  The effect of these myths was a harmonizing of mind and body.  Left on its own and without direction, the human mind can wander off in strange and sometimes destructive paths.  Through the sacred stories they were ensuring the ancient people’s minds remained in accord with their bodies.  This allowed the people a way of life that kept them together, safe and in alignment with natural laws of their environment. 

While myths, rituals, rites and traditions kept tribes and communities together, ensuring survival, it is fascinating to contemplate how these myths still impact our present-day life.  They live on in our physical structures and nervous systems which have adapted over millennia to allow for the survival of the human race.  Passed down from our ancestors, these stories which helped shape and guide human evolution, live on in our DNA.

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A Winter Solstice Myth

Many myths arose in Norse mythology.  The winter solstice (also known as Yule) was a time to feast, drink and honor the gods.  Bonfires still dot the land with festivals of light, continuing the ancient customs.  Fire, symbolic of the sun, was seen as powerful, representing life, warmth, protection.  What follows is one version of the solstice myth:

“The ancient Nordics told of Baldr, their god of illumination who was associated with the sun and his twin brother Hodr, the blind god of darkness representing the underworld.  When Baldr, despite his mother Frigga’s best interventions, was struck down by an arrow shot by his dark brother, the world was plunged into cold, darkness and despair. 

To prevent the world from entering into eternal darkness, the gods sent messengers to seek Baldr’s resurrection.  Eventually a successful deal was made when Frigga bargained with the Queen of the Underworld.  This required Frigga ask all living beings on earth to cry for her son’s return.  All of creation united and Baldr returned from the realm of the dead on the Winter Solstice, reflecting a time of victory over darkness, bringing the promise of hope, light and renewal. “

Touching on the obvious within this myth, the wise elders were able to bring normality to a time of sustained darkness which could have otherwise been frightening.  In this way, too, they were able to use the myth to illustrate the seasons and the natural cycles of life, which includes the inevitably of death, no matter how high one’s station or how many precautions are taken. 

At this time in our world, one bit of the myth stands out: “all living beings on earth joined together to cry for Baldr’s return”.  Darkness, isolation and separation will always be a necessary part of the duality we live in, but that does not eclipse the pure joy and power in the light of unity and working together. 

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A Winter Solstice Tradition

Here is a beautiful Abenaki tradition from one of their Storytellers in his own words:

” What I want to share with you is actually a tradition from the Abenaki people, a tradition that is still carried out to this day.  At this time of year, the December solstice, it was the time when people went from house to house greeting each other. And what they would say when they greeted each other this time, what they would say was, “An halom mawi, casia palwea walang.” Which means, “Forgive me for any wrong I may have done you in the past year.” And that was then followed by a friendship song and a friendship dance bringing back into the circle of life forgiveness and respect restored. So, I want to share with you that traditional friendship song. And its translation is very simple. It basically says, “I like this, and I like that.” And that idea of caring for the people and the living things around you is at the center of the friendship song.”