This is the time of year when cultural traditions around the globe celebrate the wonder
of renewal. In the northern hemisphere, the longest nights of winter are dwindling,
inviting the possibility of new birth. In the south, springtime has yielded to summer days
and the promise of abundance. Once again, the sun is making its farthest appearance
from the equator, shifting the seasons and giving humanity cause to pay tribute to life’s
countless gifts.
Of course, we’ve learned to take season changes for granted, and in much of the world
those changes are barely apparent. Seasons come and go, unnoticed for the most part,
while we remain spellbound by a dream. We’ve set ourselves firmly in a world of
thoughts and ideas. Clocks and calendars manage our actions. So what does it matter
that seasons change, that the moon rises over here and the sun now sets over there? It
matters to the health of the planet, of course, and it also matters to our mental health as
humans.
To minds that wish to awaken and reflect life impeccably, it’s important to remember
that everything changes. Everything moves in shifting cycles. Perceptions, too, have
their seasons. In the time of the solstice, use the power of your attention to move
through different dreams with grace. Let go of rituals that disturb your emotional peace.
Renew your faith in life itself. Welcome the moments that connect you with truth.
Truth is life’s relentless current– it’s everywhere and all around us. It hides behind all
traditions and stories. It lives beyond the noise of sleigh bells and caroling. It glistens in
the eyes of distracted friends and fretful relatives– it is the calm at the center of every
tempest. Truth is you. However far you roam, truth is where you live…and truth is
calling you home for the holidays.
By Barbara Emrys
