Yesterday we celebrated the Advent spiral in our Kindergarden, a very special early Winter festival which takes place for young children in most Waldorf Kindergardens all over the world. The Advent spiral is a very meditative inward experience. It is a beautiful spiral of light which symbolizes each individual "I" receiving his or her light in this time of growing darkness.
The room with the spiral made from fir green and moss was dimly lit and a harpist was gently playing christmas carols on a harp. In the center of the spiral a large beeswax candle was placed.
One by one each child walked through this spiral and was lighting his or her apple candle in the center of the spiral. On the return each child placed the apple and candle on the green spiral.
As each child added their light to the gathering candles the darkness was symbolically pushed back in the room and throughout the spiral just as the returning daylight gathers in force to return at the solstice.
The room with the spiral made from fir green and moss was dimly lit and a harpist was gently playing christmas carols on a harp. In the center of the spiral a large beeswax candle was placed.
One by one each child walked through this spiral and was lighting his or her apple candle in the center of the spiral. On the return each child placed the apple and candle on the green spiral.
As each child added their light to the gathering candles the darkness was symbolically pushed back in the room and throughout the spiral just as the returning daylight gathers in force to return at the solstice.