Winter Solstice 2011

The theme for today is Solstice

One year ago, the solstice corresponded with a full lunar eclipse
it made the moment memorable
I notice how quickly that year went by
looking back upon it
and what it brought

A solstice is a cosmic event, a crossing point
in our hemisphere it's a time of longest nights, greatest darkness
when light starts to return again
and in a way a crossing point between two years
a reversal of direction
and in a way the past year crosses into the next year
we can take the time to notice which things need to be released,
and what we want to hold and to carry forward,
and open space for new unknowns to approach

In the past, before electricity, people would gather together in this season
for warmth, maybe also for communion, intentional or not
it's winter, in this hemisphere
a time of gathering together
in contrast to summer, an outward facing time,
looking towards nature and the broad world