Santa the Flying Shaman

Have you ever wondered about the origins of modern Christmas traditions? What is the origin of the Christmas tree, with the star on top, decorations about, and all the brightly wrapped presents beneath? This Christmas, as it's been done for generations, stories of Santa and his reindeer will be told around the world, including tales of how Mr. Claus flies around on his sleigh in the middle of the night delivering presents to all the good children while they sleep snug in their beds. Where do these stories come from--and better yet--what are we actually celebrating on Christmas morning?
 

Although most people see Christmas as a Christian holiday, many of the symbols and icons we associate with Christmas celebrations are actually derived from the shamanic traditions of the tribal peoples of pre-Christian Northern Europe. The story of Santa and his flying reindeer can be traced to shamans in the Siberian and Arctic regions. 

John Rush, Ph.D., author of Mushrooms in Christian Art and professor of anthropology at Sierra College in Rocklin, CA., suggests, "Santa is a modern counterpart of a shaman, who consumed mind-altering plants and fungi to commune with the spirit world." He believes the Santa myth was born because local shamans in the Siberian and Arctic regions would visit locals on the winter solstice, an astronomical phenomenon strongly related to modern-day Christmas, with gifts of dried hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Winter Solstice Blessings

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter. This occurs December 20, 21, or 22, varying from year to year, dependent upon the elliptical path of the Earth around our Sun. Ancient peoples in our northern climes regarded Winter Solstice as the pivotal time of year. It is a time of transition in the annual cycle when the old year ends and our journey into the New Year begins. It is a sacred time to conduct ceremonies focused on the return of light and warmth. Rituals designed to divert nature from the path toward eternal winter and oblivion to one directed toward light and prosperity. Most cultures planned festivals and celebrations at or around the Winter Solstice to ensure that the Sun would return.
 
Winter Solstice is an affirmation of the continuation of life; that the cyclical order of time and the cosmos will continue intact. Fire and light have always played a central role in the Winter Solstice ceremonies. In much of northern Europe people ignited huge bonfires. Lighted candles were often placed on the branches of evergreen trees, which symbolized survival and eternal life. These symbols of warmth and lasting life were lit to hasten the "old" Sun's waning and the "new" Sun's rebirth. On the Winter Solstice we are all praying, on some level, for the darkness to end. "Just return the light!" the ceremonies seem to say. As we celebrate the return of the light, we affirm the continuation of life at the very moment of dissolution. To be sure, dark days lie ahead. But contained within each is the promise of brighter tomorrows.

On the Winter Solstice (Wednesday, December 21) we began a new cycle on the Medicine Wheel of Life, entering the North -- the home of winter, night, wisdom, clarity, renewal, rebirth, and the great Bison. Bison teaches us the importance of gratitude for all we have and giving for the greater good. As we join our hearts in prayer and sacred drumming, we participate in this season of renewal, attuning ourselves to the cyclical rhythms of nature. As we celebrate the return of the light, we affirm the continuation of life at the very moment of dissolution. Prayer, gratitude, and generosity at this time will clear the way for renewed growth and prosperity.