Ep 256 - Lara J. Day | The Hidden History of Holidays

In this episode, we sit down with Lara J. Day, author of The Thirteen Sacred Nights Oracle, to uncover the hidden history of our holidays and the deeper meaning behind seasonal rituals. From the ancient solstice traditions encoded in sacred sites to the rebranding of Christmas by Victorian elites and the corporate creation of Santa Claus, we trace how human beings have always used ritual to align with nature, release tension, and connect to the sacred.
Lara also shares her personal journey into qigong and the origins of the Thirteen Sacred Nights practice, a time of presence and intention-setting that offers an antidote to the chaos of hyper-commercialized holidays. This conversation invites us to remember what was lost, reclaim the wisdom of the seasons, and plant seeds in the fertile darkness for the year to come.

Time Stamps
00:00 Episode Teaser
00:32 Mini Conversation w/ Joel & Yerasimos
08:09 Introducing Lara J. Day
08:55 Lara J. Day's Journey and Qigong
13:47 Exploring the 13 Sacred Nights Oracle
25:05 The History and Evolution of Winter Solstice Celebrations
41:05 Personal Experiences and Reflections on the 13 Sacred Nights
45:03 Celebrating Christmas with Intention and Presence
49:59 Developing the Inner Jedi: A 13-Day Practice
52:32 The Profound Impact of Rituals
53:46 The Unexpected History of Christmas
54:42 Personal Experiences with Holiday Traditions
56:45 Navigating Holiday Pressures and Boundaries
01:10:14 How Halloween Came To Be
01:19:37 Embracing Death and Nature's Cycles
01:27:33 Final Thoughts and Rebooting Holiday Rituals

Guest Links
https://www.larajday.com/
https://www.instagram.com/larajday/
​​Sacred Nights Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9hAGAltMls

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