The Twelve Days of Christmas

December 26 to January 6

In Christian tradition, the Twelve Days of Christmas mark a very mystical period of time between the birth of the Christ Light and the coming of the Magi. The celebration of the Twelve Days actually begins on December 26 and runs through the Epiphany on January 6. The spiritual realm merges with the human realm during these Twelve Days, so it can be a wonderful and fruitful time for contemplative practices.

From the time of the Winter Solstice when the Christ light enters the heart of earth, the planet is swept by powerful solstitial radiations which continue, though somewhat abated, throughout the Twelve Holy Days. Many and wondrous are the inner plane activities during this time. The early Christian Church concluded its esoteric ministry on the mystical Twelfth Night with the Rite of Baptism, one of its highest Initiations. Modern neophytes who have earned illumination know that it is then possible to enter into communion with divine beings and the Lord of Light. It was such an experience that inspired St. John's Gospel, frequently designated the 'Gospel of Love.' (Corinne Heline)

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Jane Tattersfield

The Twelve Days of Christmas are often referred to as the “Omen Days,” when we might get a glimpse of the new year ahead. To do this, each of the days can be correlated to a month in the upcoming new year. December 26 will correlate with January, and December 27 with February…and on until the end of the year when January 6 will correspond with December. If we pay close attention to any portents and oracles shown to us during these days, we might gain foresight into what to expect and how to plan ahead. If you want to know more about working with omens, I highly recommend Robert Moss’ Sidewalk Oracles.

I have shared in previous articles some other ways to work with the Twelve Days of Christmas. For instance, we can contemplate the meaning and the essential nature of each of the twelve signs of the zodiac on each of the corresponding days. For example, on December 26, we should meditate on the essence of Aries, and on December 27, on Taurus, and so on, focusing each day on the different sign and its natural significations.  As an example, if you are finding yourself feeling flustered, indecisive, or scattered on December 28, the day of Gemini, you may want to examine how Gemini is manifesting in your birth chart, and perhaps seek ways to mitigate any of these less auspicious qualities.

The way I will be working with the Twelve Days this year will be through the twelve warriors mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, a spiritual text of India framed as a dialogue between two warriors, Krishna and Arjuna. The Bhagavad Gita is a yogic allegory about spiritual awakening focused on the battle of life and how to win the kingdom of the soul. Lord Krishna represents the voice of God instructing the spiritual seeker symbolized by Arjuna. My preferred version is the two-volume set by Paramahansa Yogananda titled God Talks with Arjuna: Royal Science of God-Realization.

In Chapter 1, Verses 4-6 (pp 57-58), Yogananda refers to the “archers of discrimination” and “metaphysical soldiers of the soul” who must win the moral and psychological battle between good and evil. These twelve warriors can be associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac which lie within our own sublime energetic systems. This following diagram shows this, as taught by Yogananda, and taken from page 391 of The Art and Science of Raja Yoga by his disciple Swami Kriyananda:

The twelve warriors of the Bhagavad Gita can be linked with both the astrological signs and with the Twelve Days of Christmas. We can meditate each day on the corresponding archetypes and contemplate their qualities as aspects to enhance and master within ourselves:

• December 26 – Kuntibhoja, Aries: Asana (Willpower and Self-Discipline)

• December 27 – Yudhamanyu, Taurus: Pranayama (LIfe-force Control, Sustaining Energy, and Determination)

• December 28 – Chekitana, Gemini: Smriti (Spiritual Memory, Discernment, and Self-Remembrance)

• December 29 – Saubhadra, Cancer: Samyama (Holding Together through Concentration, Meditation, and Samadhi; Anchored to the Soul of Nurturing and Compassion)

• December 30 – Kashiraja, Leo: Prajna (Radiant Light, Wisdom, and Insight)

• December 31 – Purujit, Virgo: Pratyahara (Purity, Strength, and Calmness of Mind)

• January 1 – Yuyudhana, Libra: Shraddha (Divine Devotion and Harmony)

• January 2 – Virata, Scorpio: Samadhi (The Inner Bliss of Immersion within the Self)

• January 3 – Uttamaujas, Sagittarius: Virya (Moral Courage, Shakti, and Fiery Vigor)

• January 4 – Drupada, Capricorn: Tivra-Samvega (Dispassion and Detachment)

• January 5 – Dhrishtaketu, Aquarius: Yama (The Power of Mental Resistance; Self-Control that Upholds Dharma)

• January 6 – Shaibya, Pisces: Niyama (Positive Observances like Santosha/Contentment and Isvara Pranidhana/Surrender to the Higher Power)

I hope this is inspiring to some of my readers and that it will provide a framework for spiritual focus and intentions in these magical days ahead.