Solstice 2021
Remembering there's light in the midst of darkness
Season's Greetings! Merry Christmas! Happy Solstice! Happy Hanukkah! Joyous Kwanza! Happy New Year!
I hope everyone has found some degree of joy, rest, and peace during this time of year, even amid these difficult times.
It’s the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and we’re bravely stepping into the darkness, holding onto our unwavering faith and wisdom that the light will return again. We’ve been through the darkness before, and we have prevailed every time.
Why have humans chosen to mark this time of year throughout the centuries? Because it's the nadir. We’re closing in on the darkest, coldest days.
Why all the joy?
Our ancestors figured out something important: We are in a cycle. Life is cyclical. These may be the darkest days, but the light always returns. Things always get better. The days will start getting longer, and the calendar will begin anew.
It’s the time for us to sit with the darkness and learn what we can learn. We get to discover and celebrate the patterns in the mysterious and beautiful world around us.
Community
Fortunately, we don't need to face the dark alone: We can share the experience with our new and old friends. We are all each others’ companions on this brave journey of life. Let's take this time to celebrate birth, community, survival, and light.
Our collective wisdom can bring us great solace during this time. We can turn to the resources and community that we've gathered around us to survive this chilling, ominous time. Our need for community spirit is symbolic of the times we are in on a greater scale, too.
Traditions
Most spiritual traditions have light ceremonies during this season. My ritual is to light a candle at this time of year, reflect on what I am willing to leave behind, and offer my wish for the world in the coming cycle.
Regardless of your tradition, I invite everyone to take a moment to reflect on what it would take to trust that the light will return, even while in darkness. How can you participate in that process?
The darkness may feel all-consuming now, but the light will find us once more.
What are your solstice rituals? If you don’t have any, maybe it’s time to create some! Let me know in the comments below.
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