’Tis the Season — Reflections of the Dark and the Light
In the midst of this Season of Hope, Joy & Wonder, what can the Dark teach us about the Light?
This is a big time of year for those of us who believe in God, and even for those of us who don’t. It is a time when the Spirit of Christmas descends upon the earth sprinkling a little more kindness into the hearts of humanity. During the Holiday Season our connection with the Divine feels more palpable; more present. And yet this year it feels like the world has entered into a phase of deep darkness. Is it possible that the Dark has something to teach us about the Light?
We open to learning in different ways when we enter phases of darkness, be that personal or universal. Life sometimes jolts us awake when we are reminded of how susceptible we are to outside forces. Whether you are dealing with temptations you have given into, health issues you have faced, death of a loved one, or broken relational connections, life’s more uncomfortable phases can be great catalysts for diving more deeply into your own Deeper Wisdom and connection with the Divine.
These writings take a look at the Sacred Holy traditions encased in the darkest time of the year to see if there is something more that can be discovered to help light our way forward, especially in light of the many things we have been faced with in 2020. I invite you to take a deeper dive with me into this Sacred Season of Dark and Light.
Divinity, I believe, is both Immanent and Transcendent. Big words that simply mean that God lives as a Divine Spark within our hearts as well as an overarching power for Goodness. Human beings continue to try and understand and tap into the vastness of this powerful force that influences our lives, and with which we cultivate a deeper relationship when we pray.
Holy Spirit. Higher Self. Divine Wisdom. Regardless of the name you choose, encased within the flesh and bones of our existence is a wise essence that serves to protect, heal and light our way. It is that part of ourselves that we call forward during prayer, surrender into during challenging times, and turn to when we are trying to make sense of something that we simply cannot comprehend.
In Catholic / Christian traditions the Holy Spirit serves as intercessor between Divinity and humanity, a kind of Spiritual Activator breathing life into our prayers and carrying them into the Heart of the Divine. The HS is typically depicted as a Dove which has become the universal symbol of Peace. HS. Holy Spirit. Higher Self.
Prayer impacts both the one prayed for and the one praying.
While each religion, both formal and informal, may refer to the Divine by different names, and offer prayer in different ways, it is my belief that the Divine Creator is big enough to encompass all belief systems. Prayer brings us in closer alignment with the overarching Good that we who are more spiritually curious continue to work on understanding more deeply and connecting with more fully. Prayer impacts both the one prayed for and the one praying.
Part of why we incarnate into these human bodies is to be in service to one another. Some of us do that through raising little humans. Others through being Aunties and Uncles, Grandparents, Foster Parents, Mentors, Neighbors, Teachers, or Coaches. Still others choose a vocation of service such as being a Religious Leader, a Community Organizer, participating in community service projects, contributing or even starting their own charity. Some of us serve the homeless through offering food, visiting people in prison, in care facilities, or who are homebound. Still others offer a compassionate heart through listening to stories and treating others with respect and dignity, and through offering prayer for those we care for and those in need of a little extra.
The beauty about being human is that we help each other ignite that Divine Spark within through how we show up. Sometimes we are the ones who offer prayers, and sometimes we are the ones being prayed for. There is a reciprocity in both Giving and Receiving. A Course in Miracles tells us that Giving and Receiving are One. In other words, when we Give, we too Receive. We feel good. And Receiving Well is a gift we offer back to the Giver completing the cycle.
2020 has offered us many opportunities to dive more deeply into who we are and what we believe. It has called us forward in ways that test the very essence of who we are, putting our belief systems to the test in unimaginable ways.
We have been invited to surrender into the dark of a deep unknowing and sit there for a while.
There is something about lighting a candle in the dark has the power to immediately drop me into Sacred space.
We are more than midway through two of the most Sacred celebrations of Light and Hope, Hannukah and the Advent Season, a time of preparation leading us into Christmas. This time of year offers a juxtaposition of dark and light which plays out within the fabric of our religious stories.
And now the Holy Season of Peace, Joy and Hope is upon us. Isn’t it curious that this Sacred season takes place during the darkest time of the year. Hannukah and Christmas are celebrations of light and hope. Both take place in the dark. Hannukah is the celebration of the Miracle of Light. A time following an intense desecration of the Holy tabernacle when a small amount of oil from the lamp of re-consecration stayed lit for 8 days. In commemoration of this Miracle a candle is lit for each of the 8 days of Hannukah. For me there is something about lighting a candle in the dark has the power to immediately drop me into a Sacred space. Light in the dark. Solemn. Quiet. Sacred. One small light offering itself as a single focus of illumination in the darkness. It just gets me every time!
I so love this image and idea of Being the Shamash; being willing to offer light into someone else’s world.
What a beautiful way to integrate the Miracle of Hannukah into our daily lives.
Sometimes we are called to Be the Shamash, and other times we need to rely upon our friends and family to Be the Shamash for us. There it is again — Giving and Receiving.
As we move through the darkest days of the year, I invite each of us to embrace the idea of Lighting the way for others, and in moments of our own despair, reaching out and allowing others to Light Our Way.
The Joy Candle invites us to call the Sacred into our midst in new ways.
In Catholic / Christian traditions we celebrate the Advent Season as a time of preparation for the Birth of the Holy into our world. This too is a time of candle lighting. For each of the four weeks prior to Christmas a new candle is lit, celebrating a particular quality, three purple, one pink candle. The Pink Candle is lit during the third week, reminding us that this is a time to Rejoice; to delight. While it can be challenging to be joyful when many of us are not able to celebrate the holidays together with extended family, and grieving the loss of people we love who are no longer with us in physical form, the Joy Candle invites us to call the Sacred into our midst in new ways. It reminds us to consider what we are grateful for, and step into a more heart-opening embrace of the essence of Life Itself, encouraging us to ask, surrender, notice, and receive. Adapting the quote from Mahatma Gandhi, we are invited to:
“Be the Joy we want to see in the world.”
This is also a time of the Birth Miracle; the embodiment of Divinity into human form.
The birthing process involves bringing something from the Dark of the Unknown into the Lightness of Being; bringing the formless into form.
It is a time of honoring the Sacred Bond between Mother and Child. So many works of art have been dedicated to that beautiful bond. As a young girl I loved collecting Holy Cards depicting the tender connection between Mother and Child, a bond which is both specific and universal. Each of us has been born to a mother and each of us has mothered. (Yes, men too!.) How we are mothered provides a foundation for how we walk in the world and form relationships later in life.
Whether biologically or through projects, businesses, or ideas, each of us has given birth to something. The birthing process involves bringing something from the Dark of the Unknown into the Lightness of Being; formless into form.
Michelangelo speaks of creating his masterpiece The David, as a process of his releasing what was inside the marble. “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” What a beautiful description of creation, to set something free.
This year has highlighted the fragility of life and the uncertainty of the future. Perhaps the powers that be are inviting the world to pause for a bit, regroup, recalibrate, and reconsider how we can “see the angel in the marble” and help to set it free. When we are willing to see past a person’s outer shell, and treasure the essence of who they truly are inside, we help to free them from self-imposed darkness that may hide the truth of who they are. Sometimes simply listening to a person’s story helps to free them. Other times it may require a little more of us. This year let us be a little more mindful the gift our presence offers another. Whether via Zoom, phone, or in person, giving our attention those we love, and those whose lives may not be quite as bright this year, offers hope, joy, healing and connection.
This year, perhaps as a bit of an antidote to the intense Darkness we have sustained in 2020, the Heavens are sending an extra strong dose of Light our way.
They are calling this The Star of Bethlehem, or the Christmas Star.
On the Winter Solstice there is an alignment of stars, the likes of which we haven’t seen in over 800 years! Jupiter and Saturn will be so closely aligned that they will appear to collide, creating an extraordinarily radiant point of light. They are calling this The Star of Bethlehem, or the Christmas Star. This is thought to be the same astrological constellation that lit up the sky above a little stable over 2,000 years ago.
What a great reminder from the Cosmos for us to trust that even in the darkest of night, the Universe provides Stars to Light Our Way. Sometimes these stars show up in the Heavens and sometimes they show up as individuals who function as a Shamash whose shares their light with us to help us illuminate our own.
Be the Shamash
Peace, Love, & Blessings to all this Holiday Season.
Be Safe. Be Well.
Dr. Jeanne Michele
Dr. Jeanne Michele is a passionate writer, essayist, and entrepreneur who enjoys helping people take a more courageous dive into life and relationships.
http://www.DrJeanneMichele.com
