APPROACHING HOLY DAYS

Today I wandered through the K-Mart Christmas isles like a child full of wonder at the sparkling gold ornaments, silver wreaths, giant velvet red bows, sparkly LED lights, place mats with pine trees on them...all the glamour that accompanies Christmas. I did end up getting a long string of gold beads which are draped casually on the wall for the moment. I've been waiting for the urge to decorate; if I don't do it, I'll hear about it from family members. I do like change, and I can't move my furniture around very often, so sooner or later I'll haul out the boxes and see what I can create inside our refuge.

The whole season is about Light for me, not so much a birth, although every birth brings more Light to the planet. In the deepest darkest season in our hemisphere, celebrating Light, Divine and Physical, resonates with my heart. It's a great metaphor, a non-dogmatic reminder, that our bodies are only a small part of who we are.

I love sitting in our Performing Arts Center, a state of the art community theatre, and playing with the diamond on my finger in the bright LED lighting before performances start. It reflects, sparkles, sings, lifts my heart. Knowing my mother wore it on her hand, and a jeweler beveled it with 88 facets, and before that it journeyed to New York City via Switzerland from Africa, and before that was deep in a mine among its own kind, totally thrills me.

I love how Light changes things. Morning light creeps so slowly, shifting as it finds its way through all resistance sooner or later. Today it's grey light, muting colors and dimming contrast, softly hugging the yard. Yesterday after working out I sat on the couch at the health club reading the newspaper. A man around fifty years old was working his computer a few feet away. He suddenly looked up to remark, "Isn't it great when the sun comes out! Everyone smiles!"

We're approaching Solstice, which I've celebrated for thirty nine years, one way or another. Sometimes it's the labyrinth, sometimes it's lighting a candle, sometimes it's with folks in a full on ritual. The Natives I spent time with called it Earth Renewing, as if the Earth Mother takes a long deep cleansing breath to begin again, another round of warmth from the Great Sun. The deep winter brings to mind time I've spent in a kiva, underground, lying on a bed carved from the earth, listening to the subtlest hum imaginable, the hum of the Earth. The sense of safety and protection wrapped me like a shawl. I felt like a seed snuggled down in the Earth, waiting for warmth and moisture to sprout again: All Potential.

Isn't that what we long for in winter? Safety and protection? Let us be tucked safely into our lairs to sleep, to take comfort from one another, listen deeply, visit quietly, and to worship our beloved planet, universe, the One Source, and our good fortune. Last night I was late arriving at a gathering of friends to share spiritual practice. Even before opening the door I could feel the holy space; I shed my boots and coat and eased into a chair in a room as still as snowfall. I quickly dropped into the Sacred Field that awaited me. We breathed together. We were in the Presence of the One. It was a fragile, gossamer atmosphere that we'd created, and it nourished our Souls. We'll gather again for Solstice.

Actually it feels like today is the day to haul those boxes down from their storage and begin decorating. I want to increase Light, reflect Light, enhance Light with all the tinsel and bows, ornaments and tree. When folks walk in the door, I hope they can feel the Light that already surrounds them when they gaze at our tree. When our meager family gathers together, I want sparkling Light all around us in the form of candles, tinsel, glitter, gold and silver ornaments. But above all, may Divine Light shine from our hearts to one another all season.

Now where did I stash those boxes??