Well, my friend, we’ve just passed a tipping point.
If you’re reading this in the northern hemisphere, then as of the Winter Solstice on December 21, the sun has begun slowly making its way back, bringing longer days, and more and more light into our lives.
If you’ve given in to feeling grouchy – discouraged – even Grinchy – lately, there’s a reason. This is the darkest time of year – the time when we’re voted most likely to crawl into a hole and cry.
Right: you’re not alone.
Just as Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ child on Christmas, our pagan ancestors celebrated the solstice as the return of light. After six months of fading away into darkness, the sun, miraculously, blessedly, begins its return. Light and life begin again.
It’s human nature to celebrate the return of light. That’s the reason so many different people all over the world have celebrations at this time of year: we need it!
As Clarissa Pinkola Estes wrote in a recent FB post, “Some suffer during the holidays from past memories, old triggers, and especially from the delusion that others are happier during this season, that other families are somehow perfected in candy-light, and that only we feel glum or low energy or blah foo foo. That would not be true.
I would strongly suggest that everyone is suffering about something. AND, that human beings are remarkable in their love and creativity and their hopes and dreams [if they will ungate the gates] perhaps not despite, but even because of our other sufferings.”
The light feels brighter because of the dark.
So, whether you’re blissed out with sparkling holiday snowflakes, surrounded by loved ones and Christmas cheer – or fighting the urge to strangle someone (or both) – I’m wishing you all the joy and blessings of the holiday season this year.
Remember that the light is returning on the outside, and that you always have the ability to bring yourself back to center, to the heart of your own sweet light on the inside – at any time.
So let yourself feel the encouragement of light, knowing that we’re all in this together, and that inside each of us is a true self – creative, curious, ready to laugh, forever young. Treat yourself with kindness, honoring the child of light within, even as we welcome the return of light through many traditions. Let this welcoming happen on the inside too, with loving-kindness, patience, and self-care.
Wishing you and yours a holiday season of love and abundance, laughter and light.
With deep gratitude,