Solstice is a time of transition, even as we have been living through a year of intense transition.
The earth spins on its axis, same as always, and it makes its way around the sun, same as always, yet the juxtaposition of angles creates shifts in perception that change our experience. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the darkness is starting to give way to light again. There is a lot of symbolism associated with light: positivity, life, growth, new beginnings….
And yet, on the other side of the world, the exact same axial tilt and position of the earth in relation to the sun results in lengthening darkness.
For all that darkness has its own associations—heaviness, sorrow, despair— it’s not inherently evil. The darkest soil is the most fecund, rich and full of potential. Celluloid film can only be developed in darkness, or else the picture fades. And it’s the shadings of silence between notes of a song that give it its cadence and flow.
Light and dark. Joy and sorrow. Life and, yes, death. All come together in a cosmic dance of life, inviting us to experience the entirety of Life’s possibilities.
May you bask in the warmth of light amidst the darkness.
May you cherish the blessings of darkness amidst the light.
May your life be a blessing to the world.
Namaste.