Life is all about maintaining a healthy balance. But, for maintaining such a balance to really sustain in the long run, an occasional extreme is desirable. This wisdom also holds true for the geological conditions which prevail on planet Earth. Thus, we have the two equinoxes (Spring Equinox on March and Fall Equinox on September), when day and night become more or less equally throughout the world. The other is Summer Solstice on June when day becomes longest in the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice on late December when the sun shines for the slightest hours in the Northern Hemisphere known as the Shortest day of the Year.

Astrological connection

The real reason for astrology is the belief that the planets and stars influence the events on Earth. Astrologically, if you are having a bad day today this can be Saturns fault. Astrologers believe that we are affected by the movement of planets and stars. However, they dont necessarily believe that humans can do anything about it. The practical astrologers simply advocate people to take it easy. During the years solstice, Miller may encourage people not to make a rash decision or not to spend large amounts of money or begin long trips.

The process of winter solstice

In the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year a day with the least daylight and the longest night and it occurs every year between December 20 and December 23. The date is based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which for practical purposes is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, the time the United Kingdom is on during the winter, when it isn't on summer time). While the winter solstice may occur at the same moment in time all over the world, the date and local time differ from place to place depends on the year and a location's time zone. For locations that are ahead of UTC (further east) it may fall on the day after and for locations that are behind UTC (further west), it may fall on the day before.

The Importance of Shortest Day or Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice usually occurs when the Sun appears to stand still at the southernmost point of the equator (the Tropic of Capricorn) and then slowly begins to move northwards again. The Winter Solstice happens in late December and marks the shortest day of the year in its course. Astrologically, it usually begins at the start of the Cardinal zodiac sign like Capricorn. If we see it from a spiritual viewpoint, the Winter Solstice is about celebrating the rebirth of life in all kinds of forms. From here, the days begin to get longer and the Sun shines brighter. Thus, it symbolises hope, faith and positivism. Thus, Winter Solstice or the shortest day this creates important astrological influence on human life.

Geographical origin

The exact date of the earliest sunset depends on the latitude. It comes in mid-northern latitude during early December each year. At northern temperate latitudes farther north, the years earliest sunset comes around mid-December. Close to the Arctic Circle, an earliest sunset and the December solstice occur on or close to the same day. The latest sunrise may not come on the solstice either. From mid-northern latitudes, the latest sunrise mainly comes in early January. The exact dates may vary, but the sequence remains the same. The earliest sunset in early December, the shortest day on the solstice around December 21, latest sunrise in early January.

Celebration of shortest day of the year

The celebration of the winter solstice in Norse, Celtic, Welsh, and Icelandic cultures and for First Nation peoples in modern-day Canada was not a gloomy affair. The shortest day of the year marked the beginning of the return of spring. Ahead of the solstice, the days get longer and the weather gets fairer. You can consult Askganesha for any type of auspicious date or any astrological advice.