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Because the Winter Solstice approaches within the north, we discover the modifications: the times of sunshine are shorter, the darkness is longer, the climate is chilly, the timber are naked, and snow is commonly on the bottom. John Matthews, who has lectured broadly on Celtic and Arthurian traditions, has written this lyrical passage about Winter Solstice:
“The Solstice is a time of quietude, of firelight, and dreaming, when seeds germinate within the chilly earth, and the chilly notes of church bells mingle with the chimes of icicles. Rivers are stilled and the land lies ready beneath a coverlet of snow. We watch the chilly daylight and the intense stars, perhaps go for walks within the quiet land. . . . Throughout us the season appears to achieve a standstill — a degree of repose.”
Listed here are a couple of actions and religious practices to do in celebration of Winter Solstice.
E-book Excerpts
That is an abbreviated excerpt of “A Celebration of Winter Solstice” from The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr.
“There’s a tendency to need to hurry from autumn to spring, to keep away from the lengthy darkish days that winter brings. Many individuals don’t like fixed days bereft of sunshine and months crammed with colder temperatures. They wrestle with the bleakness of land and the vacancy of timber. Their eyes and hearts search colour. Their spirits tire of tasting the infinite grey skies. There’s nice rejoicing within the thought that mild and heat will quickly be filling an increasing number of of every new day.
“However winter darkness has a constructive facet to it. As we collect to have fun the primary flip from winter to spring, we’re invited to acknowledge and honor the wonder within the typically undesirable season of winter. Allow us to invite our hearts to be glad for the braveness winter proclaims. Allow us to be pleased about the knowledge winter brings in educating us in regards to the want for withdrawal as a necessary a part of renewal. Allow us to additionally encourage our spirits as Earth prepares to come back forth from this time of withdrawal right into a season crammed with mild.
“The winter solstice celebrates the return of hope to our land as our planet experiences the primary sluggish flip towards larger daylight. Quickly we’ll welcome the return of the solar and the approaching of springtime. As we achieve this, allow us to keep in mind and embrace the constructive, enriching facets of winter’s darkness. Pause now to sit down in silence within the darkness of this area. Let this area be a protected enclosure of inventive gestation for you.”
Non secular Practices
Give thanks for the darkness which is the yin to the yang of sunshine. Consider how soothing darkness is when you’re exhausted and need to take nap. Recall how irritated you had been in a lodge or motel the place you possibly can not block out the intense lights from exterior whenever you needed to sleep.
Private Explorations
“Howdy darkness, my outdated buddy, I’ve come to speak with you once more,” Simon and Garfunkel sang in a well-liked track years in the past. Make a particular effort at this time to greet darkness and share a number of the emotions that come up in you when you concentrate on darkness.
Ponder the darkness as a spur to reverencing the mysteriousness of God. What place have you ever made for the darkness of the divine as fertile and transformative in your religious path?
Poetry
Learn this poem aloud. It’s by William John Fitzgerald from his e book Blessings for the Quick Paced and Cyberspaced.Black Can Be Lovely
O God, black may be lovely!Allow us to pay attention to black blessings:Blessed be the black evening that nurtures desires.Blessed be the black gap out of which creation sprang.Blessed be the black cave of creativeness that births creativity.Blessed be darkish wombs that cradle us.Blessed be black loam that produces nourishing meals for our our bodies.Blessed be black jazz that nourishes our souls.Blessed be black vitality that swirls into gracefulness.Blessed be black coal that heats us.Blessed be black boiling clouds hurling down lightning and cleaning rain.Blessed be even our personal darkness, our uncooked, undeveloped cave of shadows.O God, assist us to befriend black and never deny its energy.Assist us to not cowl over the darkish with worry however to open to it along with your grace and to be open to your life throughout the darkish.Might we uncover the blessings that lie deep inside our holy darkish in order that we could freely affirm thatBlack is gorgeous certainly!
Here’s a meditative poem by Joyce Rupp “Winter’s Cloak” from The Circle of Life which she co-wrote with Macrina Wiederkehr.
Winter’s Cloak
This yr I don’t wantthe darkish to depart me.I would like its wrapof silent stillness,its cloakof lengthy lasting embrace.An excessive amount of lighthas pulled me awayfrom the chamberof gestation.
Let the dawnscome late,let the sunsetsarrive early,let the eveningsextend themselveswhile I lean intothe abyss of my being.
Let me lie within the caveof my soul,for an excessive amount of lightblinds me,steals the sourceof revelation.
Let me search solacein the empty placesof winter’s passage,these huge darkish nightsthat by no means fail to shelter me.
Prayers & Mantras
Finish this particular once-a-year-day with this prayer by Edward Hays from Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim.
A Winter Solstice Prayer
The darkish shadow of area leans over us. . . . .We’re aware that the darkness of greed, exploitation, and hatredalso lengthens its shadow over our small planet Earth.As our ancestors feared dying and evil and all of the darkish powers of winter,we worry that the darkness of conflict, discrimination, and selfishnessmay doom us and our planet to an everlasting winter.
Might we discover hope within the lights now we have kindled on this sacred evening,hope in each other and in all who kind the web-work of peace and justicethat spans the world.
Within the coronary heart of each particular person on this Earthburns the spark of luminous goodness;in no coronary heart is there complete darkness.Might we who’ve celebrated this winter solstice,by our lives and repair, by our prayers and love,name forth from each other the sunshine and the lovethat is hidden in each coronary heart.Amen.
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