Thoughts: Winter Solstice

Snow on snow

Yesterday evening at 5:22 pm MT it was the Winter Solstice. This morning, fluorescently-illuminated snow ladened the tree boughs in the chill birdless air outside my bedroom window. The words "snow on snow...snow on snow" arose in my head like sacred smoke. A mantra-ish fragment of a beautiful celtic carol had wafted up to greet me.

in

the bleak

mid-winter

snow
had fallen

snow
on snow

snow

on

snow

Null point

Winter solstice...we are at the null point of the year. The world is neither here nor there. We are like polar bears in a blinding snow storm. White on white, no depth perception, no horizon, no thing in view, blankness on blankness, snow on snow. But still there is the awareness of ourselves. WE are here breathing, we are HERE breathing the still frosty air at the center of our universe. Perhaps a time of cleansing? A time of purity? Of something layered and frozen, ancient, suspended in time and space, but implicitly capable of melting, of releasing, of flowing? Flow on flow. Flow on, flow!

When reading about winter solstice I encounter the question, "Are we closer or farther away from the sun at midwinter?" Despite my intuitive response (farther away—it's colder!), I find that the earth is actually closest to the sun at its winter solstice (but the axis for us is tilted away, making last night the longest night of the year).

It is ironic that while we are closest to the sun's primal energy, we feel that we are farthest away from its life-sustaining source---the longest night feels like the darkest night.

In ancient times, we wondered if the light would return, or the leaves green again, or the water flow freely in the streams. We waited fearfully, expectantly, LOVINGLY, for the solstice morning's Sun to rise and confirm that another day would come, another spring, another life cycle of renewal and rebirth.

Not surprisingly this is also a time when many souls choose to return to their Original self, to God Source. It is a time when the seeds of renewal and rebirth are omnipresent. The door re-opens to possibilities and potentials.

To me the winter solstice IS a portal, an opening, a time of grace, a distinct moment on the time/space map of the universe where miracles can occur easily and freely. And so today is a wonderful day for moving on from our bleak midwinter, our descent into darkness, the longest night. Having felt all the substance and nuance of that dark night of the soul, it is a time for letting the light come back into our lives and hearts as we gently expose ourselves to the warm rays of the Cosmic Son/Sun again.

A meditation

Will you take some time right now, amidst all the flurry of holiday plans and celebration, to replenish yourself with this short meditation? (you don't have to DO anything—just reading this will be transforming—or you can read it to someone you love and have them do it).

If you can, light a candle.

MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU. AND ALSO WITH YOU! SO HUM. HUM SO.

Imagine that YOU are the LIGHT of the WORLD, the center of all things, touching and transforming everything with your grace, your light, and your love. Feel that you are a beautiful newly risen Sun, at this null point in the soul's midwinter, spreading your rays of light and love out in all directions, healing hearts and lighting the way for others. At the same time you are cleansing YOUR heart and lighting YOUR own way.

Now take a deep, deep cleansing breath, filling your lungs completely as if with a golden ball of light, and then expel your breath slowly, imagining a golden light streaming out, letting your heart expand out beyond your self, beyond your immediate environment, and into the infinite universe, encompassing everyone you love, the earth and everyone on it, and the whole of creation.

Then breathe deeply again, peacefully inward, gently letting the cosmic love of the creator come back in and through you, up from your lower torso and up into your heart, filling it and expanding it. Open your chest and feel your glowing heart center radiating light and love in all directions.

And breathe slowly out again, sending out golden light rays once more to all your loved ones, to all beings, to the whole world, to the entire universe and beyond. Imagine a world full of golden light, spinning at GodSpeed in space, radiating love to every point in the cosmos.

Rest in this peace for a few moments before continuing on with your life.

NAMASTE, THE GOD IN ME PERCEIVES THE GOD IN YOU!

It is happening NOW

As my lovely and loving sister Teresa reminded me last night while recounting a beautiful Christmas miracle of her own (a short story carrying its own blessing!): "What comes around, goes around." THIS is the TRUTH. What we send out, comes back to us, sometimes even before we know it. It happens instantly! It is already happening, it is happening NOW! It is happening in and through you as you read this. This is the truth.

Here is the opening and closing verses of the carol that was sung a few years ago (almost to the day) at my father's funeral service, and that spoke to me today on so many levels and so many ways. It began my day. May it resonate profoundly and deeply in yours as you move through the energies of this solstice season.

>> Listen to the music online.

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow—

Snow on Snow—

In the bleak midwinter,
Long long ago...

What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him?

I give my heart.

In Light and Love at this special and miraculous time of year, pass on what you receive! Namaste!

Resources

>> Listen to the music online.