Mid-Winter Solstice - The Stable Bow

The Sun is now at its southern most point in the Northern hemisphere and gives the North its longets night and shortest day. In the southern hemisphere it is the converse, this is the longest day and the shortest night. Here we can see and feel the balance of the hemispheres at one the Mid-Winter Solstice and the other the Mid-Summer Solstice. Within the symmetry of this graceful elegance is a hint as to the key of the Solstices for us mere mortals, balance and equanimity. Whilst held in the arms of the Solstices is the dance of Yin and Yang, the balance of the year strib=ving to show us that even in extremes there is harmony and right purpose, and, right relationship.

So here we stand at the longest darkness of the year, being rightly told that the light is about to return and that it is in the true nature of things that the integral tension of balanced seemingly opposites are an example of right relationship. Here we are being asked to look back over the year with mindful reflection, loving speech and deep inner compassion for all that we have been privileged to learn and the insights we have been given into our true nature. Similarly, we are being lovingly turned toward the light where we will, in due course, emerge into the wonder and glory of our true self.

Samhain has helped us to lay the groundwork, to nurture the seeds of our new dreams, our new hopes. Root energy has been developed, strengthened and encouraged by our questing through the realms of dream and inner spirit; mindful reflection during this time has helped us to sharpen and polish our understanding of our relationship with ourself.

The old tear is now rapidly ending and the way ahead is ready for a rebirthing the active principles in out dreams and hopes.

This is the Sun's birthday in the North. Life starts to become more evident.

We are now at the time where we can commence to birth our inner visions gently, lovingly into the lengthening light. It is time to truly name our dreams, to name the dreams we have nurtured through the inner journeys of Samhain.

As the year winds to a close, it also presents us with an opportunity to express our soul-felt gratitude for the support, help and assistance that we have been, and are being, given during the period of darkness and the the whole of the passing year.

It is a time to release and truly let go not only of past patterns that hold us back, but also the hopes and dreams we have of the future. As the great mystic poet Kahlil Gibran has to say on children, so this is true of our dreams and hopes for the future

On Children

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet.

 

Once again I must express great thanks to Glennie Kindred and her marvelous book "Sacred Celebrations"