Winter solstice

Maya contributions to astronomy influenced life in colonial America. The Maya were extremely talented astronomers who believed manifestations of the gods came in visible form through celestial bodies and their movements. Priests and other Maya astronomers studied the motion of these celestial bodies, believing they could see the gods walk across the sky. They observed and recorded the movements of the stars and planets to collect these celestial signs that foreshadowed disasters, destinies of…

cutting down trees, bringing them into your home and decorating them in honor of a god as pagan [Religioustolerance.com]. Historians have found many ancient cultures have held a special place for trees or plants which stay green in the winter. During the winter solstice Ancient Egyptians used green palm rushes to symbolize triumph of life over death. Early Romans honored the god Saturn, who they believed was the god of agriculture, by decorating their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.…

Throughout the years, the tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus has always been on December 25th, or as many people know it, Christmas. Many people believe it to be the date that Jesus was born. It is also believed that he was born in a wonderful nativity scene surrounded by animals and loving people. However, many scholars believe December 25th may not be the date of his actual birth and he might not have been born in a manger. These ideas are because of the conflicting stories between…

“How do we get there?” or “What time is it?” are questions that are taken for granted this day in age. Today, one instinctively looks at a watch or enters a destination into a phone or GPS. But from where did this technology derive from? How did the first navigators find their way? By using the Sun, Moon, and stars, early civilizations have paved the way to these modern devices used daily in today’s society. The effective use of astronomy enables the calculation of which day it is, the time of…

Humanists and spiritual traditions.[6][10] Together worship services are usually held for the community to connect and learn from each other.[10] Gatherings for religious holidays honors all religions, namely Christmas, Passover, and even Pagan Winter Solstice.[11] Unitarian Universalists see coming together as an important tradition that deepens one’s humanism and tendency to do good and help others.[11] Like all other traditions and religions, life and death are the most notable parts of one’s…

Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim was a medical protestant born in Einsiedeln, Switzerland at the turning point of the fifteenth century around the time of the Renaissance Humanism (p. 201). He eventually changed his name to Paracelsus. Paracelsus was educated by his father who happened to be a physician. He learned, “…botany, medicine and natural philosophy” from his father (p.201). This organic way of learning eventually let Paracelsus to become curious with the natural…

Have you ever wondered how other countries are celebrating the same exact holiday as you are? Well in “Fish Cheeks” the mom invited over a family for a Christmas Eve dinner. The main character was not happy about them coming over because she wants to be like all of her friends and doesn’t want to be different. “You want to be the same as American girls on the outside. But inside you must always be Chinese” (Tan). Just because the Chinese Christmas Eve is different from the American Christmas Eve…

David Zheng Honor Mr. Schutz World Cultures 8 16 December 2015 The Mayan: Isolated Achievers The Mayans were an impressive civilization, which existed around 3,000 years ago. During this time, they were mostly isolated, only making contact with the rest of the world 500 years ago. The Mayans were located on the Yucatan Peninsula in North America. Put simply, the geography of Mesoamerica was less favorable than the geography in Eurasian. This, coupled with the lack of useful animals of labor,…

I I have to say, I went for this one unprepared. I was going to Brazil for summer break and my mom wanted a mother/daughter bonding trip. Unfortunately, it was less than a week after my finals and I didn't have time to read a single guide, just some general stuff I found on the internet. And I'm usually the kind of person who buys 3 different guides, reads them all and plans every second of the trip. Not that I follow my own plans that often, but I do enjoy the planning and the security that…

see. Happier people tend to look for the good or brightness in their interpretations, whereas people struggling with problems in life are more likely to see the negative aspects. For instance, "darkest evening of the year" could refer to the winter solstice, December 21, or it could be a reference to his depressed state of mind. To me, the words "and miles to go before I sleep" are simply a nagging reminder that the speaker has places to be and obligations to…