What is the deeper magic at work during this Winter Solstice-Christmas-Hanukkah-Pancha Ganapati-Kwaanza time?
Yes, there are many cultures that make magical celebrations of light amidst our darkest days. There is lots of good symbolism and metaphor in that. But light in the dark? Is that it?
A German friend recently told me that they call this time, “between the years”. -And it made me think to designate these days as liminal –a word used in anthropology to describe the transitional space between one stage of life and the next. Liminality is the magical space between before and after, a state of ambiguity and withdrawl. We create liminality so that we may let go of old ways of being, suspend ourselves in possibility and then dive intentionally into a new role.
The liminal state is exciting and terrifying. It is darkness, the abyss, emptiness. There are many positive possibilities, but there is no guarantee that one will arrive a the farthest shore intact. This is why awareness and intention are called for during these days. How will we navigate this potent liminal time?
Being busy and forcing a lot of activity is not what is most called for at this time. If you can, be intentional with your time so that you can have space to harvest some insight about your life as you have lived it in the past year. What can you release into the past as finished, accomplished, done, no longer wanted? Can you sit for a while in the emptiness and allow yourself to be shown what wants to come in?
Usually, we release something … and right away we start making wishes and intentions for what we think we need in its place. I propose that this time of year offers us the opportunity to sit quietly with our emptiness, allowing it to be terrifying, wild and freeing. Let it sink in. Let something go this Solstice night, and pledge to become empty in the next week to 12 days. In our society, goal setting is traditionally address on January 1 – but whatever works for you. Allow yourself to be shown through signs, symbols and your own sweet feelings.
Happy Winter Solstice Beloveds! May you hold the light within you as we progress into the longest night. Sweetest Dreams to you!
Margot Darling 