Comments on: The Return of the Light, Or Procopius and the Primitives http://northernpath.org/blog/2008/01/13/the-return-of-the-light-or-procopius-and-the-primitives/ News of the Northern Tradition Sat, 19 May 2012 03:40:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Kevin http://northernpath.org/blog/2008/01/13/the-return-of-the-light-or-procopius-and-the-primitives/#comment-6576 Kevin Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:09:53 +0000 http://northernpath.org/blog/2008/01/13/the-return-of-the-light-or-procopius-and-the-primitives/#comment-6576 For those of us who have to cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder (and its rotten abbreviation), the lengthening of days is nothing but good news. I see nothing wrong with the irrational celebration of longer days, as to me it means a decreased chance of severe depression setting in, or something worse. I once read a study that noted that SAD effects people of Scandinavian heritage more than any other ethnic group. I vaguely recall commentary in the sagas about how some people would enter a deep malaise during the winter months, only to come out of it once the sun had returned to the sky. That sounds like early records of SAD. Additionally, the return of long days meant that food was going to be readily available, your stores of firewood could be restocked, and that you weren't going to freeze to death. There is nothing irrational about it. It is, in truth, a celebration of the source of life-energy that we all depend on. Failing to celebrate this, seems to me, to disregard the value of the sun in our every day lives. Let Procopius run his mouth, if he likes, but he didn't understand and was engaged in a campaign of demonization. I say climb a hill, light a wheel on fire, and let the good times roll! For those of us who have to cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder (and its rotten abbreviation), the lengthening of days is nothing but good news. I see nothing wrong with the irrational celebration of longer days, as to me it means a decreased chance of severe depression setting in, or something worse.

I once read a study that noted that SAD effects people of Scandinavian heritage more than any other ethnic group. I vaguely recall commentary in the sagas about how some people would enter a deep malaise during the winter months, only to come out of it once the sun had returned to the sky. That sounds like early records of SAD.

Additionally, the return of long days meant that food was going to be readily available, your stores of firewood could be restocked, and that you weren’t going to freeze to death. There is nothing irrational about it. It is, in truth, a celebration of the source of life-energy that we all depend on. Failing to celebrate this, seems to me, to disregard the value of the sun in our every day lives. Let Procopius run his mouth, if he likes, but he didn’t understand and was engaged in a campaign of demonization.

I say climb a hill, light a wheel on fire, and let the good times roll!

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