Ever Green

The Winter Solstice, also called Yule or Yuletide, marks Midwinter and another turn in the great seasonal wheel. Read more on Yule in last years posting at this journal.

In ancient times those that honored the earth decorated their homes or temples with boughs of evergreen trees. The evergreens represented magical powers during a time when all other plant life died or hibernated.

In the Druidic tradition the holiday is seen as creation myth where one stays up through the night to midwife the return of the light. Acorns, symbols of the great Oak, are put on altars as a gift to the newborn light.

Here in our little woodland home we have a small Cypress tree that is moved inside for the holy days. This year we have done a more traditional decorating of our little evergreen with colored lights and our tin ornaments.

Normally I celebrate the Winter Solstice with girlfriends atop the mesa in Topanga. This was written by my dear friend Jane on the invite in 2006:

On this longest night, from the depth of the dark,
we sit,
we invite,
we meditate,
we listen,
and then
we honor the light of our unfed flame.
How do we stroke that spark of the dream?
How shall we fuel the passion to truley be?
And where might we shine
even more brightly
in 2007 (2009)
?

Thoughts and musings on creating a Winter Solstice perfume begin with the conifer notes of the evergreen trees such as Pine, Spruce and Fir. Woody elements to represent the "Yule" log such as Cedar and Cypress would weave in nicely with the conifer notes. Since bonfires were a n important component to ancient Solstice celebrations consider a few strands of a smoky note such as Cade. Bright and luminous citrus, like Yuzu, works nicely as the top notes signaling the return of the light.

In Japan, where bathing is incorporated in their Winter Solstice celebration, the citrus fruit Yuzu is utilized in the bath. The tradition of eating pumpkin soup and bathing with Yuzu fruit insures good health during the cold months.

During this time of great change, consciously light a candle connecting to the inner light within which burns brightly even during the darkest hour. Use your Winter Solstice fragrance with intention to courageously guide you to that luminous brilliance within your self.

Illuminating Midwinter perfumes include Sierra, Q and Sierra Solid Gold, each of these has been created with strong intention and contain many of the notes and aspects discussed in the post above.

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™