This time of year, near the time of the winter solstice, has been known as “mid-winter” in the northern hemisphere. Winter Solstice marks the turning point – the longest night of the year-- after it, the nights get incrementally shorter, and the hours of light increase with each passing day.
Our bodies respond with the desire to hibernate, or sometimes with a need to fight the darkness by bringing the light. But we don’t need to fight it. We know it won’t last forever. And this is what we need to remember if we find ourselves experiencing a long, dark night of the soul, any time of year, any place on earth.
It is a time of deep soul searching. It is a time of focusing our light so we throw the strongest beam. It’s a time of searching for the other points of light who are our comrades through the journey. The stars, the candlelight, the fairy lights, the bonfires. We see their light more clearly in the contrast.
In any situation that is dark, we can BE the light. We go within to find where our faith waits, our inner flame, and we feed it with our attention, our breath, our love. We can look into the depths and know there are gifts waiting for us, we only need to seek them out. Let our other senses be heightened and listen more fully, revel in the scents, explore flavors and luxuriate in the feel of the nearest warm glow.
Know that darkness is natural, and that we are not alone in it. And that we can light another’s candle without losing any of our own light. Be the light this season, and let yourself shine brightly, wherever you find yourself.
~2017 Winter Solstice News Muse segment on the TOtLE (Totally) Positive News show.
Comments