2005 Winter Solstice The rain didn't dissuade me from celebrating the Solstice with Mad Magda and her friends in Hayes Valley. Solstice is supposed to be a celebration of warmth and hope as the deepest part of winter takes hold. This year's celebration totally made the mark. The high point of the evening was the burning bowl ceremony we held in Hayes Valley Common. Pagans, Native Americans, Hindus and other Asian cultures believe that by burning prayers, the smoke lifts them up to the Deity to whom prayers are offered. In the Christian tradition, we burn away what we don't want. My church usually has a Burning Bowl ceremony on NYE or New Year's Day - depending on the service and I'm told it's becomming more common in some of the more prominent Protestant denominations as well.

FIRE - Finally

The wind and damp mist seemed to conspire against our little ceremony, until we kicked things into gear and nurtured the flame back to life. I couldn't help but dwel upon the resurrection metaphor and thought about the winter Solstice's most famous patron, Sol Invictus - the Unconquored Sun as well as his Christian counterpart, the Unconquored Son, Jesus. There are so many metaphors around fire, but as we re-lit the papers in the bowl, I thought about 'the flame of desire' being unquenchible in most gay men well as the faggots used to burn them with witches and how people still use the term, 'flaming faggots' to describe gay men almost 400 years later - such an endouring metaphor - these days however it's lost much of its visceral impact. I was brought out of my reflective reveries when the flames finally took hold and we held hands in a circle. People offered prayers, chants and blessings for the coming year. All in all, it was beautiful way to mark the last turning of the year.