BY DAVID RICHO, author of Daring to Trust and 14 other books about spirituality and psychology — Annual planting among ancient peoples began with prayer that recalled how the gods performed this same task at the beginning of time. The human lifecycle, thus, became a repetition of a primal religious event.

Whatever happens every year becomes a promise in perpetuity, and thereby the phases of life and the seasons fit into a spiritual framework.

Among ancient peoples this fostered a sense of belonging here on earth.

Repetition and participation give humans roots: “I am real because I am part of something. I have a grander meaning than is outlined by my fragile body.”

Primitive religious peoples lived in a world that had an alternative meaning to the given one.

Pre-Columbian meso-Americans, 400 B.C.

Belief in a mirror universe to this one gives oppressed people a special hope which is missing from the society in which they live. In that other world rank, status, and hierarchy are all reversed.

This is the apocalyptic vision of a future equality in which goodness and justice triumphs. Here the persecuted will inherit the kingdom and will finally be honored. Such an anticipation and hearkens back to a primordial state, e.g., Eden.

The early Christians believed fervently in a parallel kingdom that defied and abrogated the Roman empire and all its power. In the apocalyptic kingdom God will fully approve the unapproved and the last shall be first.

In our contemporary world we do not have beliefs quite like this. But the collective unconscious can weave a web of myth and symbol that reconnects us with our origins. In the Jungian perspective the psyche is a source, not simply a depository of knowledge. This reflects the ancient views, especially those of Gnostics and alchemists.

Psychologically, we all have a need to trust that we are supported by powers that resemble us, nurture us in our life pursuits, and understand us compassionately.

Our modern egos may balk at this. They often drive us to want autonomy and independence at the cost of connection.

Actually, the ego does not have the ability to sustain itself independently. In addition, the ego fears independence and true freedom.

With independence it would lose its entitlement to be taken care of. With freedom it would lose its escape hatch of blaming others for what goes wrong. So we are searching for and demanding the impossible.

Left to ourselves, we homo-sapiens will spiral down into a cycle of destruction. Relying only on what is innate gives humanity no hope for survival. This is why spiritual teachers come along, so that we can survive and open to other wonderful possibilities in our nature. We were born with a proclivity toward spiritual practice just as we were born with an inclination to dance.

Huston Smith says that religions are to spirituality as universities are to education. You can get there without it but you will be traveling uphill. A spiritually-aware religion provides a platform, a framework in which to understand the world and ourselves. Then it can show us a path to love of the world and ourselves. In addition, when crisis hits, religion may not have an answer but when we come to believe that our suffering is shared by God, it becomes tolerable. Faith also promises that our power to love will not be lost no matter what occurs. In the Void, all of this may be hard to believe, but that, like everything, is temporary.

Religious beliefs are meant to help us accept reality as it is—including death and chance. Indeed we can learn from life itself which shows us so much when we use religious teachings as pointers. Our sacrifice is to give up the craving for absolutes and certitudes as our forms of safety and to use religion as a source and treasury of perennial wisdom and as a coping mechanism in a stressed and stressing world.

David Richo is the author of 15 books, including How to Be an Adult. A formerly active Catholic priest who has made Buddhism his personal practice, he is also a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in individual and couples counseling. Dave divides his practice between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA.

SPIRITUAL IQ QUIZ — He’s big. He’s hairy. He’s said to tear through the night sky accompanied by magical reindeer. Santa Claus makes a truly weird symbol of conspicuous consumption. Maybe that’s because he’s a figure whose spiritual roots sit deeper than today’s commercial culture.

Santa as we know him today symbolizes holiday cheer, Christian charity, and, yes, maybe more than just a little bit of pagan wildness. Little wonder this mischievous elf has been shunned by Christians, banned by secularists, and viewed with suspicion by purists of all sorts.

As he keeps sliding down the chimney into our culture, click on the radio buttons below to see how much you know about the global poster-boy for Christmas.

GUEST COLUMN: PHYLLIS KING — Often when our lives are running smoothly and seemingly at the will of our command, without warning we are surprised when a person or an event throws our life into chaos or anger. We have two choices in that moment: either resist, or to let go.

We need to remember that we can refuse to allow an external circumstance to diminish our peaceful space. There are wonderful opportunities we can create with the universe, so to speak, that deepen our compassion and growth.

Holidays always heighten sensitivity and emotions for everyone.

Many opportunities will appear for each of us to let go of our perceived sense of control.

With gatherings scheduled, with many family and friends, prepare yourself for events to take on a life of their own. Even when we are the planner of the function, it’s important to remember that each individual attending the function also puts their energy into the event on some level. To deny that energy asks for conflict.

In your vision, make sure you allow room for the visions of others, seen and unseen, spoken or unspoken. It’s similar to putting a couple extra settings on the table for the guests who show up uninvited. Make sure you leave room in your energy for the unexpected, the unappreciative, the greedy, and the insensitive.

During the holidays, most people have a preconceived idea of how they want their holiday to look and feel. The key to a successful holiday, especially for the planners of the gathering, is to let go and bend their vision of the holidays, to allow room for the vision and energy of others. Compromise and cooperation will win the day and release the stress.

In the words of William Dyer: “when given the choice to be right or kind, be kind.” These words will never hold more power for you than during the holidays. Be kind with joy, not resentment.

So when our desire to control jumps to the surface, and details run awry due to outside circumstances, take a deep breath, smile, and allow yourself to expand into a consciousness greater than yourself.  Go with the flow. A hot bath will help too! Kindness also extends to being kind to yourself.

Phyllis King is a psychic, author, spiritual teacher and prolific radio host.  Her other articles for Soul’s Code include, Is what you preceive, what you receive? and Do you judge yourself for wimping out?   

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Why Bill O’Reilly’s defense of Christmas is secretly un-Christian

BY DANNY KENNY — Fox News talk-show personality Bill O’Reilly thinks the Holidays just won’t be the same without The Tree, Santa, the gifts of appreciation, the mistletoe and holly, etc. These are the things he claims are threatened with extinction by the so-called ‘War on Christmas.’

But I guess he doesn’t realize that these traditions he’s apparently missing from his Irish Catholic childhood are thoroughly pagan in origin, some dating back 4,000 years. Which begs the question: So, Bill, what in the name of Jesus are Yule celebrating?

My fellow loud-mouthed Irishman famously asks, “Do they know it’s Christmas time (at all)?” But I’m starting to wonder if O’Reilly does? Like many Irish-Americans, I think he has a misty-eyed view of the Ould Country.

So be careful what you wish for, Bill. I remember when I was an angelic little altar boy back home, me Mammy threatened me by saying, “If you don’t get up that road to Mass you’ll grow up to be a proper bloody Pagan!”

At the time I — and perhaps, she — had no real idea what that meant, but it sounded really bad and certainly put the fear of God into both of us . . . until 20 years or so later, when she proudly attended my Pagan Wedding as guest of honor (May her God Bless her)!

As a young fella I always loved Christmas, and back then my Mam always made a great Christmas for us kids . . . ‘just like the ones ‘e used to know.’ (All together now . . . I feel a traditional Christmas song coming. Okay enough already! That’s why we pay carol singers to go away!)

But if a tree, gifts, a fat bloke with a white beard and kissing under the mistletoe sounds like your idea of an idyllic Christmas — minus “Bada Bing Crosby” (who was famously Catholic) — I bear glad tidings you’re a Pagan!

The addition of Christ to the celebration of the winter solstice did not occur until 300 years after Christ died. In fact some devout Christian sects like the Puritans, forbade their members from celebrating Christmas, because it was considered a pagan holiday. So what is the history behind these traditions?

Here are 12 reasons why ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, THE PAGANS GAVE TO ME:

1. The Date
2. The Virgin birth
3. The Tree
4. The Gifts
5. Santa
6. The primary colors: red, white and green
7. The Mistletoe
8. The lights and the witches balls (tree ornaments)
9. The Star or Fairy at the top of the tree
10. The Robin
11. Yule log
12. The twelve days of Christmas

The date and the Virgin birth:

YULE, circa Dec 22nd, was when Pagans celebrated (and still do) the rebirth of the God from the Virgin Goddess (sound familiar?). Even the term “virgin” is mis-leading, as it originally did not mean a woman who hadn’t had sex, but applied to priestesses during Rome’s pre-Christian period.

These women were not bound by secular law, were free to take all the lovers they chose and were beholden to no man. “Yule,” a Nordic word, literally means wheel. In other words, it’s not a type of wood, as in Yule log; it symbolized the turning of the year from darkness into light.

The tree and The Gifts:

As I said above, the Christmas tree is derived from several solstice traditions.

The tradition of giving gifts came from Saturnalia, a New Years Festival of Pagan Rome; gifts were given in honour of loved ones who died during the previous year. They would exchange good-luck gifts called Stenae (lucky fruits). They also would have a big feast just like we do today.

Santa and the red, white and green:

The Pagan Holly King is the sacrificial Pagan God who becomes the Goddess’s consort at Yule, and dies with the fading light of Winter Solstice (to be reborn 3 days later as The Oak King). His image is informed by the symbolic pagan woodsman colors: red, white, green and black. They were adopted by Santa, a.k.a St. Nicholas, whose feast day is actually Dec 6th. But hey, if you’re a kid getting pressies who cares?

The mistletoe, the lights and the Witches balls

Mistletoe, holly and pine were all fertility symbols used by Pagans and Druids, and had been part of Yule celebrations for 1,000′s of years.

Mistletoe was used in an ancient Druid custom at the winter solstice because it was considered a divine plant and symbolized love and peace. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is Druid in origin.

The lights represented the birth of the new God and the return of the light on the shortest day of the year; the lights on a Christmas tree is a carry-over from candles and fires lit by Pagans in symbolic rituals to lure back the waning Sun.

Witches balls are hollow glass ornaments popular in parts of Europe in the 18th century, but their origin is much older. They were designed to ward off evil spirits and ill wishes that were directed at your family. Hanging these balls in windows was thought to tantalize spirits because of their colors, and trap them inside of the bulb when they touched it, forever holding the marauding spirit hostage.

The Star or fairy on the tree and the Christmas robin

Again, this is not a Christian creation. The Star of David, the Jewish six-pointed star we put on top of the tree, symbolizes the perfect union between male and female. The inverted triangle represents the feminine (Shekinah); the upturned phallic triangle represents the male (Yahweh). In Pagan Ireland, as in many places around the world, we love Fairies because our people looked to them to grant a Christmas wish.

The Robin

In Irish Celtic folklore and mythology, The Robin (seen on many a Christmas card) symbolically kills the wren to signify the return of light. A contemporary reminder of this is the wren boys, who disguise themselves with straw, and dance and play musi. These characters still appear in Irish bars, from Shannon to San Francisco, on December 26th, St. Stephens Day.

The Yule log and The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Scandinavian solstice traditions had a lot of influences on our celebration, besides the hanging of ornaments on evergreen trees. Their ancient festival was called Yuletide, and again, celebrated the return of the sun. One of their traditions was the Yule log. Traditionally made from oak, three holes house candles of red, white and black.

Three is the symbol of the triple Goddess. She represents the three phases of womanhood: maiden, mother and crone: White for the maiden, red for the mother and black for the crone.

The log was the center of the trunk of a tree that was dragged to a large fireplace where it was supposed to burn for twelve days. From this comes the twelve days of Christmas, immortalized in song and Bill Shakespeare’s very Pagan Twelfth Night. The festival of Twelfth Night is part of the Roman Saturnalia, the Feast of Fools and there can be little doubt that the license that marked this occasion had its origin in very ancient pagan customs. As Christianity spread across Europe, some of the old traditions took centuries to die out but the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 retained a Saturnalian flavor for many centuries.

Now that we’ve got all that outta the way! How about a nice mince pie and a festive glass of eggnog before you head off to Midnight Mass?

Hope Y’all have a cool Yule now, ya hear!

BY PAUL KAIHLA — July 18 is South Africa’s annual Good Samaritan’s day. This year, Nelson Mandela turned 93. And the tradition here is to donate 67 minutes to helping others in honor of the former freedom fighter’s devotion to human rights and reconciliation.

The number 67 is not a random pick; It represents the number of years that Mandela devoted himself to public service and political struggle — 27 of them incarcerated in South African prisons (1962 to 1990) such as Capetown’s equivalent of Alcatraz, Robben Island, as well as five years as South Africa’s first non-white president (1994 to 1999).

The ethos of loving kindness and building circles of support is what inspired the team at Soul’s Code to devote many multiples of 67 hours to found this property in the first place. But in the case of Nelson Mandela Day I was personally inspired after attending a fashion show and gala dinner at Capetown’s City Hall, the Edwardian landmark where Mandela made his globally-broadcast speech hours after former president F. W. de Klerk released him from prison. Mandela is a walking testament “that someone could put the interests of others first without some selfish goal in mind,” Capetown mayor, Patricia de Lille, told us.

There was a lot to celebrate. After decades of apartheid, violence and pariah status, South Africa won! It bears far more resemblance to Canada and Australia than failed successor states like the Soviet Union’s former stans republics. Why do you think that the type of celebrities who once upon time boycotted South African resort town, Sun City, now maintain vacation homes in Capetown, including Bono and Richard Branson?

It isn’t simply sloganeering. Citizens of South Africa walk the talk. For example, flight attendants on South Africa Airways flights today are asking passengers to remember their 67 minutes of do-gooding.

After receiving a favor from a stewardess on the morning flight from Capetown to Johannesburg, I joked that she’d successfully docked five minutes from her quota.

Her coy comeback: “Oh, I’m way ahead of that – I just gave your security guard a free upgrade to business class.”

Robben Island (upper right): Nelson Mandela's island prison for 18 years