Eleven days ago I gathered at an event to mark the winter solstice. It was an evening of music and dance and song. It felt good to be with an eclectic group of folk to note this time of darkness giving way to light. Many years ago an internal prompting cued me to do the same. I was living with the parents of a former boyfriend. On the third floor of the house was a bathroom with a huge clawfoot tub. It was a very cold damp evening in the midwest, I filled the bathtub, lit many candles, put on a the music of George Winston and commenced to soaking my weary being. As I soaked, my soul drifted with the sound of the piano and this thought emerged, "let the new day begin." The Eternal Wise One was saying it was time to let go of what maybe holding me back and allow something new to come forth. These thoughts reign true now and always.
I feel the weather these past few days have reflected this dark time of year. The heavens opened up and dumped enormous amounts of water in the North/East Bay. Flooding, landslides, closed freeways, power outages...all a reminder now is the time of year to move slowly and perhaps find a warm cozy place to enjoy a cup of tea, to read a book, or simply take a bath and drift on the sounds of music. And just as the energy of the plants go deep into the roots and the animals of the forest hunker down for a spell, so too may we humans take time to look inwards and reflect on this year past.... remembering that the light is returning! ~Blessed Be.