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'''Christmas''' (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ central to the [[Christianity|Christian]] liturgical year, celebrated on [[December 25]]. | |||
'''Christmas''' (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ central to the [[Christianity|Christian]] liturgical year, celebrated on [[December 25]]. | |||
== Theosophical significance == | |||
Regarding this date, [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] wrote: | |||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
The earth passes through its definite phases and man with it; and as a day can be coloured so can a year. The astral life of the earth is young and strong between Christmas and Easter. Those who form their wishes now will have added strength to fulfil them consistently.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 5.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== | <blockquote> | ||
Christmas comes just at the time of the winter solstice; the days then are shortest, and Darkness is more upon the face of the earth than ever. All the sun-gods were believed to be annually born at that epoch; for from this time its Light dispels more and more darkness with each succeeding day, and the power of the Sun begins to increase.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. II (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, [1967]), 164.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
<blockquote> | |||
We are in the [[Winter Solstice]], the period at which the Sun entering the sign of Capricornus has already, since December 21st, ceased to advance in the Southern Hemisphere, and, cancer or crablike, begins to move back. It is at this particular time that, every year, he is born, and December 25th was the day of the birth of the Sun for those who inhabited the Northern Hemisphere. It is also on December the 25th, Christmas, the day with the Christians on which the “Saviour of the World” was born, that were born, ages before him, the Persian Mithra, the Egyptian [[Osiris]], the Greek Bacchus, the Phoenician Adonis, the Phrygian Attis. And, while at Memphis the people were shown the image of the god Day, taken out of his cradle, the Romans marked December 25th in their calendar as the day natalis solis invicti.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 278-279.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== Additional resources == | |||
===Articles=== | ===Articles=== | ||
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f20n12p548_truth-and-symbol-in-the-christmas-story.htm#n1# Truth and Symbol in the Christmas Story] by John Gayner Banks | * [https://theosophy.world/encyclopedia/christmas-esoteric-significance Christmas, Esoteric Significance of] in Theosophy World. | ||
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/christmas-then-and-christmas-now# Christmas Then and Christmas Now] by H. P. Blavatsky | * [https://www.theosophyforward.com/articles/theosophy/3074-the-hidden-meaning-of-christmas-2?fbclid=IwAR07zaJoQGraLHhxuWBtn3FYOAbnyUGRlEW-0lFNctxkvsx2v7_A2nbvp6Q The Hidden Meaning of Christmas] by Catalina Isaza Cantor Agnihotri. Published in Theosophy Forward on 13 December 2021. | ||
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/49-99-0/4s-aed.htm# Christmas and the Winter Solstice] by Alan E. Donant | *[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f20n12p548_truth-and-symbol-in-the-christmas-story.htm#n1# Truth and Symbol in the Christmas Story] by John Gayner Banks. | ||
*[ | *[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/christmas-then-and-christmas-now# Christmas Then and Christmas Now] by H. P. Blavatsky. | ||
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-kvm.htm# Behind Our Christmas Celebrations] by Kirby Van Mater | *[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/49-99-0/4s-aed.htm# Christmas and the Winter Solstice] by Alan E. Donant. | ||
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-sams.htm# How Christ Got into Christmas] by Peter H. Samson | *[https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/the-magi The Magi] by Jay Williams. | ||
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-rthac.htm# The Christmas Tree] by Regina Z. Thackara | *[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-kvm.htm# Behind Our Christmas Celebrations] by Kirby Van Mater. | ||
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-sams.htm# How Christ Got into Christmas] by Peter H. Samson. | |||
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-rthac.htm# The Christmas Tree] by Regina Z. Thackara. | |||
*[https://blavatskytheosophy.com/some-reflections-on-christmas/ Some Reflections on Christmas] by H. P. Blavatsky. Excerpts from her article, "Christmas Then and Christmas Now." Made available by Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK. | *[https://blavatskytheosophy.com/some-reflections-on-christmas/ Some Reflections on Christmas] by H. P. Blavatsky. Excerpts from her article, "Christmas Then and Christmas Now." Made available by Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK. | ||
=== Books === | === Books === | ||
* Barborka, Geoffrey A. ''The Christmas Story''. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1966. | * Barborka, Geoffrey A. ''The Christmas Story''. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1966. | ||
| Line 33: | Line 37: | ||
* Matthews, John. ''The Winter Solstice: the Sacred Traditions of Christmas''. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998. With contributions from Caitlin Matthews. | * Matthews, John. ''The Winter Solstice: the Sacred Traditions of Christmas''. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998. With contributions from Caitlin Matthews. | ||
* Steiner, Rudolf. ''The festivals and Their Meaning: Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, Michaelmas''. London, Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996. | * Steiner, Rudolf. ''The festivals and Their Meaning: Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, Michaelmas''. London, Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996. | ||
=== Audio === | === Audio === | ||
* | * [https://archive.org/details/theesotericsignificanceofchristmas ''The Esoteric Significance of Christmas''] by Bing Escudero. 1979. Theosophical Society in America. 56 minutes. | ||
* | * [https://archive.org/details/1148_20191022 ''Christmas of the Angels''] by Dora Kunz. Narrated by Monica Nease. Theosophical Society in America, 1967. | ||
* [https://archive.org/details/1147_20190824 ''Christmas and the Angelic Forces''] by Dora Kunz. 1983. Theosophical Society in America. 47 minutes. | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Latest revision as of 16:43, 28 December 2023
Christmas (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ central to the Christian liturgical year, celebrated on December 25.
Theosophical significance
Regarding this date, H. P. Blavatsky wrote:
The earth passes through its definite phases and man with it; and as a day can be coloured so can a year. The astral life of the earth is young and strong between Christmas and Easter. Those who form their wishes now will have added strength to fulfil them consistently.[1]
Christmas comes just at the time of the winter solstice; the days then are shortest, and Darkness is more upon the face of the earth than ever. All the sun-gods were believed to be annually born at that epoch; for from this time its Light dispels more and more darkness with each succeeding day, and the power of the Sun begins to increase.[2]
We are in the Winter Solstice, the period at which the Sun entering the sign of Capricornus has already, since December 21st, ceased to advance in the Southern Hemisphere, and, cancer or crablike, begins to move back. It is at this particular time that, every year, he is born, and December 25th was the day of the birth of the Sun for those who inhabited the Northern Hemisphere. It is also on December the 25th, Christmas, the day with the Christians on which the “Saviour of the World” was born, that were born, ages before him, the Persian Mithra, the Egyptian Osiris, the Greek Bacchus, the Phoenician Adonis, the Phrygian Attis. And, while at Memphis the people were shown the image of the god Day, taken out of his cradle, the Romans marked December 25th in their calendar as the day natalis solis invicti.[3]
Additional resources
Articles
- Christmas, Esoteric Significance of in Theosophy World.
- The Hidden Meaning of Christmas by Catalina Isaza Cantor Agnihotri. Published in Theosophy Forward on 13 December 2021.
- Truth and Symbol in the Christmas Story by John Gayner Banks.
- Christmas Then and Christmas Now by H. P. Blavatsky.
- Christmas and the Winter Solstice by Alan E. Donant.
- The Magi by Jay Williams.
- Behind Our Christmas Celebrations by Kirby Van Mater.
- How Christ Got into Christmas by Peter H. Samson.
- The Christmas Tree by Regina Z. Thackara.
- Some Reflections on Christmas by H. P. Blavatsky. Excerpts from her article, "Christmas Then and Christmas Now." Made available by Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK.
Books
- Barborka, Geoffrey A. The Christmas Story. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1966.
- Gullo, Jean. Christmas and Solstice: Traditional and Mystical Celebrations. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Order of Service, 1987.
- Hall, Manly P. The Story of Christmas. Los Angeles: Philosophical Research Society, 1956. Pamphlet.
- Kunz, Dora. Christmas of the Angels. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980. Pamphlet. Available at Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library and Krotona Library.
- Matthews, John. The Winter Solstice: the Sacred Traditions of Christmas. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998. With contributions from Caitlin Matthews.
- Steiner, Rudolf. The festivals and Their Meaning: Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, Michaelmas. London, Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996.
Audio
- The Esoteric Significance of Christmas by Bing Escudero. 1979. Theosophical Society in America. 56 minutes.
- Christmas of the Angels by Dora Kunz. Narrated by Monica Nease. Theosophical Society in America, 1967.
- Christmas and the Angelic Forces by Dora Kunz. 1983. Theosophical Society in America. 47 minutes.
Notes
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 5.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. II (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, [1967]), 164.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 278-279.