Honoring the Darkness, Trusting the Light & Welcoming Winter
10 Thoughts on Winter Solstice, the Rhythm of Life & the Dark Night of the Soul
Winter Solstice was tonight at 10:27 EST. I’m sending this week’s newsletter out earlier than usual to mark the occasion.
Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night. “Because Earth is tilted on its rotational axis, we have changing seasons. As the planet moves around the sun, each hemisphere experiences winter when it’s tilted away from the sun and summer when it’s tilted toward the sun. Scientists are not entirely sure how this occurred, but they think that billions of years ago, as the solar system was taking shape, the Earth was subject to violent collisions that caused the axis to tilt. ” (Winter Solstice: The Shortest Day and Longest Night of the Year, Forest Brown)
Ancient cultures, as early as the end of the Stone Age (beginning about 10,200 B.C.) observed the winter solstice. This return of the light continues to be celebrated with feasts, fire and light. Whether we consider ourselves religious, spiritual or neither, this time of year continues to have much of the planet in a spirit of celebration, awe and a recognition of the needs of others.
Light. Whether you celebrated Hanukkah already, or will celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa, you're likely lighting candles or turning on lights on a tree or your house. You’re literally bringing light into darkness. And, when you do, you’re likely taken aback. You might stop, sigh and take in the moment ... .You might notice how something as simple as lighting a candle or a tree can be a reminder that darkness is eventually followed by light.
Arrival of Winter. Despite the celebrations, we now have winter ahead of us. This too can be an opportunity. I used to dread winter. Now I love the barrenness of it all. I love that for the next three months, the trees behind our house will allow me to see the sunrise each morning. I love the clarity, the simplicity; the getting back to the basics of life.
These words by John O’Donohue helped me fall in love with winter: “Within the grip of winter, it is almost impossible to imagine the spring. The gray perished landscape is shorn of color. Only bleakness meets the eye; everything seems severe and edged. Winter is the oldest season; it has some quality of the absolute. Yet beneath the surface of winter, the miracle of spring is already in preparation; the cold is relenting; seeds are waking up. Colors are beginning to imagine how they will return. Then, imperceptibly, somewhere one bud opens and the symphony of renewal is no longer reversible. From the black heart of winter a miraculous, breathing plenitude of color emerges.”
The Dark Night of the Soul. When we’re struggling with chronic illness or chronic symptoms, it can be hard to imagine that change will come. I think of the Dark Night of the Soul as those times when our suffering is so great, the only way out is to find another way to approach our life. For me that came when I let go of trying to dominate my body and micromanage my health. I accepted and came to peace with the reality that I may never get any better than I was. As bad as the chronic fatigue, physical pain, unexplained neurological symptoms and ruminations were, they weren’t as destructive as my obsessive quest to conquer them. When I finally surrendered, my healing began. The light started to return. Soon my answers started to show up. As with any Dark Night of the Soul, I came out the other side with more compassion, especially for those struggling physically and/or emotionally. I continue to carry a deep sense of gratitude for that time in my life.
Radical Gratitude. Much has been written about the benefits of gratitude. Radical gratitude is what we have when instead of resisting an uncomfortable feeling (fear, anger, sadness, resentment), we have gratitude for it. “Thank you.” “Thank you for this fear. Thank you for this anger, Thank you for this sadness….Thank you.” This can be much more powerful than it sounds. As the feeling dissipates, we can also be grateful for being human.
Noticing the rhythms of the natural world. Just as we can trust the natural rhythms of nature, including the rising and setting of the sun, we can trust the natural rhythms of our life.
Spring Equinox is when the length of the day will be roughly equal to the length of night. The days will have found momentary balance.
Rituals. Whether it's religious, spiritual or simply a physical act that activates certain neuronal pathways, rituals can create internal shifts. If you’re having your own Dark Night, a regular ritual of lighting a candle may bring a sense of peace and hope.
I’d love to know how you’re bringing light into the darkness (literally or metaphorically) this holiday and winter season.
Wishing you peace, hope and gratitude,
Courtney
In literal terms, small white lights on an indoor artificial evergreen tree and wreath. Metaphorically speaking, making a few small gifts to a friend who lives out of town to bring more light into their world.
On the longest night of the year, I picked up the keys to my new home. I move on the 31 December 2023. It feels like the longest coldest night of the year. I have been forced out of my beautiful home by invisible toxic frequencies emitted by electromagnetic and acoustic radiation. Is 'trusting the light' how I overcome the lack of it? I don't 'know' that. eileen