CONTENTS

Foreword

Part I : Earth Rhythms

  1.    The Power of Festivals

  2.    What Is a Solstice?

Part II : The Solstice Tradition

  3.    The First Solstice Festivals

  4.    Celebrations of Sun and Earth in the Ancient Near East

  5.    Solstice Rites in the Americas

  6.    Festivals of Heaven and Earth in the Far East, India, and Polynesia

  7.    World Renewal Rites and Myths

  8.    The Solstices in Europe

  9.    The Meaning of the Solstices

Part III : Festivals for Our Time

10.    Celebrating the Solstices on Your Own

11.    Creating a Solstice Festival

Notes

Bibliography