Out of the Darkness

Out of the darkness and into the light! That’s what this holy day is all about.

On the Earth’s path around the sun, there are points throughout the year that mark her progress and remind us to pay attention to our own life’s progression. The Solstices and Equinoxes are significant events, as they each signify a change in direction, so to speak. Days come into balance at each Equinox, and they shift momentum at the Solstices.

The Summer Solstice, which we celebrated on June 21 – was the longest day of the year, when the Sun was at his peak. Alternately, December 21 is when we celebrate the Winter Solstice – the longest night of the year, when we are witness to the symbolic rebirth of the Sun.

Since the Autumn Equinox on September 21, we have been moving further into darkness, as the days have grown shorter. Considering how the cycle of nature relates to our own human life cycle, we have moved out of our time of harvest, where we gathered all we have manifested in the past year, and we have stepped into deep introspection, which is only nurtured in the fading light.

Here in the darkness, we gather with those we love and remember those we’ve lost. We take stock of what we had hoped for, and what has not yet come to fruition. We light candles of remembrance, and bonfires of celebration.

Before electricity, when we relied upon the bounty of our crops rather than the convenience of our grocery stores, we would have stored our final harvest and then looked ahead toward a lengthy winter, unsure of how well our hard work would manage to sustain us.

And so, we would gather with those we loved in order to eat, drink, and make merry, as we might not make it through the long, cold winter. And since the nights just kept getting longer, we would light a fire at the Solstice, to remind the sun to return, once again. The fire would be lit as the sun was setting, and it would be maintained throughout the night, until the first rays could be viewed like a blush upon the horizon.

This year, we are blessed with added celestial goodness, as the moon shall be full, and there will be a passing meteor shower, as well. I would venture to say that if you have any hopes and dreams still awaiting harvest, this would be a good time to speak your truth to the radiant light, and invite every blessing to shower down upon you.

While pondering the darkness, such as regrets, challenges, and sorrows from this year that we are about to leave behind… consider what you are ready to release, write it down, and then lay it into the flames of your Yule fire. Know that you need not carry anything into the light that does not bring you joy. Better to leave those ashes in the darkness, and move forward into the glow.

Some of us don’t have a fireplace, or a safe place to burn a Yule log, and so a candle will suffice. Just speak into the flame as the sun goes down, and let it know how grateful you are. Grateful for the illumination you’ve experienced this year, and the warmth of love that has filled your life. Acknowledging the blessings you’ve received in such a way that you have discovered that upon your wish list there is nothing for which you would ask, beyond the safety and wellness of those you love, and those you would love if you had only the opportunity to know them.

Throughout this year, I have walked through the darkness and insecurity of the unknown. But I have also, with enormous gratitude, walked beside many with such grace as to show me the luminescence of their courage and radiance of their love. Great warriors of overcoming and becoming, all.

Out of the darkness, we walk with courage and confidence for the abundance and delight that awaits. Into the light, we carry our hopes and dreams to be planted, nurtured and grown in the radiant rise of new beginnings.

Wishing you all of the beauty and peace that is to be found as daylight grows and blessings expand. Thank you for walking this path with me.