lighting our way: Winter writings

“One does not become enlightened
by imagining figures of light,
but by making the darkness conscious.”     
                                                                                  Carl Jung

How do you see the light forming in the dark? On this planet earth we are born, we live and then we die. From the beginning of time indigenous people recognized they came from Mother Earth and honored her. The natural cycles of the earth have a lot to offer us and can make life easier if we release the idea that our intellectual form of living is safe and always has the best light to lead us. The safest and most stable way to live on Earth is to be in relationship with the earth of ourselves. 
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How do we clean the residue of experience we have acquired on our life’s journey and surrender to the principals of our true nature? perhaps one way is to let go of doing so much and relax into the natural cycles of our environment. Maybe we don’t have to work so hard to live fully. Maybe we can allow our inner light to guide our way during dark times. Perhaps by attuning to the principals of nature we can gain strength, insight and a long enjoyable life.

I would like to share a story of making the darkness conscious…. One spring evening I was out walking into a deep canyon with some friend. We were looking for some companions who were already set up at a camp and waiting for us to arrive. When we had left our car, it was sunny out and we forgot to bring our flashlights. But as we walked along chatting, we got lost and it became dark and dangerous. We had crossed over a stream and that is when I knew we were off track. One woman became scared and started to cry so loud I could not here the signs of nature to help us know where we were. I asked her if I could hold her and all of us get very quiet. We played a game of closing our eyes and asking our inner light to tell us the next step to take. Soon we acclimated to the dark sky and were able to trace back to the correct trail.

"To go into the dark with a light is to know the light, to know the dark, go dark.” 

This is a true way to find the many treasures of being in the dark. We need to allow ourselves to be in silence and feel what is around us waiting to be a guide in our life. As we connect to the solitude and darkness of winter is when we find our true source of light. This is making the darkness conscious and we learn to trust our quiet inner self.

The Season of Winter is a “time out”. It is when we naturally rest, sleep, eat and rejuvenate the inner nature of ourselves. Don’t let the outer appearance of the gray dark clouds or the dormant trees fool you into thinking they are dead. They aren’t, they are replenishing and dreaming into the next season.

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year and invites us to recognize the presence of the light of our soul. It reminds us that we are never alone and have many allies in the silence of the dark. Imbolc marks the mid-season of winter at the beginning of February and starts nudging us to awake from the delightful slumber of rest. May you carry the silence like a mother carries her child to its full stature into the Spring Equinox and prepare the soil to plant your dreams.

Here is to a happy slumber as you surrender to the deep mystery of winter life!