darkness_to_light

December and the Holiday Season

by with No Comment Celebrate The Season

darkness_to_light

The major holidays of the month of December tend to become the focus of many people’s lives to the point which people schedule their activities around them. Some of us become so busy and stressed that we forget to honor ourselves and take time to relax and reflect upon our lives and what really matters to us. During this time of renewal all things should be considered, and we can use this season of celebration not only to acknowledge the light but the darkness as well.
In some cultures, the winter Solstice marks the returning of the light making this a good time for contemplation and meditation, and a chance to soul-search. Since ancient times, some cultures have taught that light is good and dark is bad, but in this era of awakening we’ve learned in fact that this is a limited way of thinking since Light and Dark create a perfect balance. We need to stop seeing them as “good” or ‘bad”, they are just different, complementary, and necessary.
When we close our eyes to rest, to meditate, what we see is darkness, the darkness inside of us, which is infinite space within the finite body. Bill Plotkin describes in Soulcraft the journey of spirit as an ascent and the journey of soul as a descent into the depths of the self, “Soul embraces and calls us towards what is most unique in us. Spirit encompasses and draws us towards what is most unversal and shared.” ..so this time of the year celebrate both!

This December we have a Blue Moon, December 31st is the second full moon of the month, just as the year ends. this is a perfect time to honor new beginnings.

Meditation Practice

Find a place that will be completely dark when the lights go out. Prepare by having a candle and lighter or matches before you. Sit on the floor or at a table, and ground yourself, prepare the sacred and safe space. When you’re ready, turn off the lights. Sit in complete darkness and silence, and begin by visualizing the descent into your self. Do not feel frightened, remember you are in a safe space and what you’re feeling is the unexplored territory.
You can visualize descending a flight of stairs if you like, taking you deeper into your inner realms. Knowing you cannot get lost helps you get rid of your fear, remind yourself that you can light the candle whenever you choose. Look deeply inside yourself. Be honest. This is a secret place that no one else needs to know about. Investigate; examine memories, usually they are accompanied by feelings, emotions. If something does frighten you, light the candle. If not, light it when you are finished. Imagine the candle as the ascent upward from your journey, shedding light on what you learned, and bringing balance by adding light to darkness. This light illuminates the dark the way the spirit illuminates the soul.
You can come back and explore again any time you wish, and you should. Become a regular visitor, pretend you are an explorer. Draw or write about the landscape of your soul. Dig deep and find the roots of why you have the opinions you hold and how you came to the path you are on. What do you need? What do you want? Ask the tough questions. Just because you ask doesn’t mean you have to make an immediate change in your life; this process takes a lifetime of study. We are always changing and reinventing ourselves. Discover who you are and why. And watch yourself continue to change and grow.
Spirit connects us; soul sets us apart. Soul-searching is an investigation of our mysteries, a journey of self-discovery. There is a balance to be found in celebrating the yin and yang, dark and light, spirit and soul, the universal and the personal.
in this month of celebrating light, join together with others, and don’t forget to celebrate the darkness as well – the beautiful, often hidden mysteries of your soul.The process will enrich your personal life and your relationships. To reach our greatest potential we must grow, both toward the light that unites us, and toward the mystery that keeps us unique.

by Ember, Llewellyn Worldwide

The Crone Goddess

by with No Comment Poesy

The Crone sits in Her rocking chair
And roasts the chestnuts on the coals.
Outside, December branches bear
A coat of frost in curling scrolls.

She frightens children with Her eyes
And thumps Her cane, a solemn beat –
But ah, Her words are gentle, wise,
A waning crescent at Her feet.

Her death draws near; She knows it’s so,
But does not fear what it will bring
For underneath the fallen snow,
The tulip bulbs are dreaming spring.

Elizabeth Barrette

Gemini Full Moon

by with No Comment The Moon

Full Moon – December 12, 2008 11:37am

The Full Moon in December is known by many names depending on the cultural background, Long Nights Moon and Oak Moon are just two of them. [See The Moon for more information]

The Full Moon in Gemini is excellent for divination, rituals to seek inspiration, or brainstorming. You could incorporate all three by using bibliomancy. Take a book about the subject you wish to explore. Open it at random and, without looking, point on the page. Read the sentence your finger landed on. Does the passage give you any new ideas or insights? Repeat 3 or 4 times, eityher with the same book, or different books on the same subject. Meditate on the sentences you have read.
Another way to seek ideas is to invoke the Muses. The 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne were each attributed to a different art: epic and heroic poetry, music, lyric and erotic poetry, history, tragedy, sacred poetry and geometry, dance, comedy, and astronomy and astrology.
Choose the Muse most relevant to your field. Prepare an altar with symbols of your art or other specialty. Include a picture of the Muses, or your Muse, if you can. Cast a cricle, then ask for help and inspiration. Promise to pursue your art faithfully. Do some artistic work, spend a little time in circle writing, drawing, singing, dancing, or practicing your instrument. –Magenta Griffith

Festive December

by with No Comment Celebrate The Season

I Believe God Wants You To KNow

..that the opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.

Niels Bohr said that, and he was right. In fact, there have been few statements in the history of statement-making that were more accurate than that one. So be aware and stay awake! The Law of Opposites sometimes leads you to a Divine Dichotomy.

Two opposing truths can exist simultaneously in the same space. Do not therefore assume that That Which Opposes You is That Which Is Not Good For You. It may be just the reverse.

Neale Donald Walsch

Let’s welcome the festive month of December and celebrate the season!

December is a hectic month for most of us, and the cosmos seems to match the frenzied pace as 2008 comes to a close!

This is a month when planets are forming squares. A square is a major astrological aspect and is present when two planets are 90 degrees from each other. The essence of a square is friction. Things happen, and they’re no small matter. The energy surrounding a square is forceful, intense and powerful.

On December 4, Mercury squares Uranus and your mind will be buzzing with ideas. On the 5th, the Sun conjuncts Mars and they will be within an orb of eight degrees to each other. The sheer energy of the duo can become unbelievably productive or very explosive. This is a good time to avoid ego battles. On the 6th, Mercury squares Saturn and you will need to defend your point of view. The Sun squares Uranus on the 10th, and the challenge is to break free from old self-definitions. On the 11th, Mars squares Uranus creating a rebellious combination — be ready for a challenge, yoo-hoo! On the 12th, the Sun squares Saturn and self-assessment is emphasized. Also, on the 12th, Mercury enters Capricorn stabilizing your thinking — it’s a good time to plan! And on the 15th, Mars squares Saturn and you will find yourself suddenly stopped in your tracks. Delays normally mark this period, and plans and projects will get stalled for some time. On the 22nd the Sun conjuncts Pluto — conjunctions mark new beginnings, and this particular one is powerful and it requires you to be clear about where you direct your energy — otherwise someone else is likely to take charge. Finally, on December 28, Mars conjuncts Pluto — use the strength and power of this energy to direct it toward something you want to achieve.

December 12 also brings an emotional full Moon with the Saturn-Uranus opposition squaring the full Moon and with Mars sitting next to the Sun. This is a good time to keep your cool. The corresponding new Moon in Capricorn, on the 27th, is the last new Moon of the year, and is fitting as we reflect upon this past year and plan for the new one.

On December 21, the Sun enters Capricorn and we celebrate the Winter Solstice. This is a great time to reflect upon the past and make plans for your future as the Sun illumines a pathway toward the achievement of your goals. And finally Saturn turns retrograde on the last day of 2008. The planet of karma and discipline goes retrograde once a year for about four-and-a-half months. This planet in retrograde is a taskmaster, making us work with extra effort or making us think deeply and contemplate our actions or the world around us. Take this opportunity to breathe and to do things the right way the first time around. Courtesy of Astrology.com

Let the Divine Energy flow through you this month and engulf in its joyful vibe. Pay extra attention to your thoughts, as you revise your “check-off list” for the coming year of 2009, of the Gregorian calendar. I hope you enjoy yourself this month and allow the approaching days of celebration to inspire you to vibrate Happy Energy. And don’t forget, there are always reasons to engage in joyful celebration. The more celebratory energy you “produce” the more you send off into the air, spreading it throughout the world. This is how we heal the planet, and reduce the negative energies that dwell over it’s green and watery surface. Remember that whatever you celebrate make sure you do exactly that … celebrate! Bring happiness into your life, let the joyful energy surround you, blessing your home, your path, and every choice you make.

Divine Blessings, and very Merry Holidays!!!

Rev. Adriana Zotelo Hari Gobind Kaur, RMT