Have you ever wondered why Santa Claus wears a red and white suit? Why we wrap our presents in red and white wrapping paper, or why we hang red and white baubles on our tree? The image of Santa Claus, and our Christmas traditions have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years, and can be traced right back to pre-Christian times, with roots deep in shamanism, and Nordic mythology.

Experience the profound spiritual meaning of Winter Solstice on Explore Deeply. The energy of winter is that of going within. It's the fruitful darkness and silence out of which our soul's yearnings and new inspirations can eventually emerge. Awaken your purpose with insightful reflections and transformative wisdom.

For decades, scholars have studied the astronomical observations that ancient indigenous people made and sought to understand their meaning.

Being near natural bodies of water, especially the sea, has proven health benefits. This effect has been dubbed “blue health”.

The human figures in this painting have previously been interpreted as healers holding fly-whisks and doing a trance-dance. Fly-whisks were an important accessory for the dance because they were thought to keep arrows of sickness at bay.

But our results suggest that the fly-whisks are in fact musical instruments of a type known as a !goin !goin

Believe it or not, getting sound and restful sleep at night begins with how we start the day.

In a lunar eclipse, the earth momentarily blocks the illumination from the sun that creates a full moon, resetting the current emotional cycle. Solar eclipses reset the energy field or archetypal configurations, where as, lunar eclipses are culminations of emotional cycles that have run their course. Both encourage us to evolve.

The changing seasons are key points in the cycle of life in nature, and within this cycle many ancient cultures perceived a powerful deeper message for humanity.

Over the past century we have made tremendous progress. We have learned that the fusion of hydrogen into helium powers stars like our Sun, while most of the atoms in our bodies were forged in the cores of stars that have since exploded. We discovered that the Galaxy is one of many galaxies that trace enormous foam-like structures that permeate the cosmos. We now know that the Universe started about 13.6 billion years ago with a “Big Bang” and has been expanding ever since.

Summer is a time to engage more deeply in our connection to Earth; and cultivate and strengthen our connection to the divine energies all around us. In living with gratitude and understanding that reciprocity and respect for all that is given to us is, is the way to live as if all life is ceremony. In using only what we need, and doing what we can to live in balance and harmony with the cycles of the planet, we strengthen and nourish the bond we consummated a birth with the great parent who sustains us all.

Beyond honey: 4 essential reads about bees

Some say laughter is the best medicine. But according to recent findings, the best medicine for your mental health might just be trees. Over the years, a growing body of research has proven that regular access to trees makes us happier and healthier.

Beltane, whose past and present significance is deeply steeped in ritual rites of sexuality and fertility, celebrates the height of spring, and the coming of summer, the earth has warmed, and May 1st is astrologically the end of darkness in the sun cycle, when we gain more and more light each day.

In the course of our evolution, we became a most social species. We defended ourselves, hunted, reproduced, raised vulnerable offspring, slept, fought, and played in social collectives. This shift to more collective living required a new balancing act between the gratification of self-interest and an orientation toward supporting the welfare of others.

The study of dreams: Scientists uncover new communication channels with dreamers

I thought about bees as a body, and the hive as integral to the health and wellbeing of the bee body. From there, I asked what a body needs to remain alive and healthy.

There’s a power that lives in the space ‘between,’ that subtle instant when something ends, and what follows next hasn’t yet begun. This is a beautiful and necessary space for growth. In the spaces in between, all possibilities exist, and none have been chosen.