Advent Spiral of Light at a Waldorf School
Every year, just before the Winter Solstice, the students walk through a “spiral of light” to celebrate with light and love the darkest time of the year.
Advent
By Kristie Burns
Copyright 2001
What are the origins of the Advent Spiral?
This quote pretty much sums it all up: “As a universal symbol the Spiral/Labyrinth appears throughout history dating some 4,500 years and appears cross-culturally over the face of our world throughout our known history.”
The meaning usually associated with the advent spiral today is more specific, however. In some Waldorf schools it symbolizes finding light in the darkness. In other schools and churches walking the spiral as an individual carries the image that every human being must make; a journey to an inner place; where we can find a light to carry back into the world to help us in our own journey. The labyrinth is said to be non-denominational because it can be related to many different religions and cultures and because it represents man’s journey on his own spiritual path within his religion, rather than the path of one specific religion.
City School Sprial of Light Winter Festival 2012
This year our Sprial of Light was held at the end of our Winter Festival. We had a wonderful evening of good food, candle dipping and cookie decorating.
The most loved attraction for most of the children is our “Angel Room” which is a room filled with “gently used toys, books and other gifts” donated by the City School Families. It gives everyone a chance to donate toys and things that are no longer being used while finding a new and loving home for them. Each child goes into the Angel Room to find gifts for family, friends, and yes, themselves sometimes as well!
The Sprial of Light Ceremony
As darkness falls families gather quietly with their children and are led into the Kindergarten room which is transformed into a beautiful spiral made of fragrant greenery, wooden stumps, crystals and gnomes. Each child is led by an “Angel” to light her candle from the center of the spiral, and place their candle on one of the stumps. After everybody has lit a candle, the spiral is a beautiful sight!
