You are here to carry your light
into an awakening world.
Take time
to celebrate yourself
this season.
Today is the Winter Solstice, a time to celebrate the returning light, and reflect on the year coming to a close.
On this day, I hope you will remember that you are part of the light that is returning, illuminating an awakening world with your kindness and compassion, your passion for goodness and truth, the magic of your imagination, and the power of your hope.
Will you set aside time to celebrate yourself?
What if celebrating yourself was a consistent habit, part of a deepening commitment to your spiritual path?
Most of us are familiar with the kinds of celebrations that honor our faith traditions, our professional successes and personal milestones such as anniversaries and birthdays. But what if celebrating yourself was a consistent habit, part of a deepening commitment to your spiritual path?
At its essence, celebration is about honoring. Celebrating your Self means honoring your humanity in all its complexity. Perhaps you will want to start by acknowledging the inspiration you bring to others, the unique expressions of your caring and generosity, or the laughter you are able to find, even in the craziest of times. As you admit your light and appreciate your beauty, let it fill your heart with gratitude and joy for everything that has contributed to your journey.
But that’s not all.
When we only celebrate the light, we unknowingly orphan the voices that need our love and attention the most.
When we only celebrate the light, we unknowingly orphan the voices that need our love and attention the most.
How skilled are you at honoring your uncertainty? What about your disappointment, boredom, frustration and anxiety? Does your pain get a seat at the celebration table? Rather than pushing them away, try to see them as guests with something important to offer. Perhaps all they want is to be seen, felt and accepted. Our dismissed aspects of self are longing to be included.
Never has this been clearer to me than in the last eighteen months, as I gave myself fully to the process of writing a memoir. Mining the stories of my past, unearthing buried treasures, one thing became abundantly clear:
When we celebrate it all, understanding emerges, bringing with it the gifts of acceptance, patience, wisdom, and wholeness.
As I plan to celebrate the holidays with my loved ones, I hope to give the gift of loving attention and heart-centered acceptance. Of course, that work begins with me. The more I honor the fears that arise amidst chaos and uncertainty, without allowing them to harden my heart, the more my light can truly shine.
Let’s walk the path of celebration together this holiday season, honoring everything and opening to Life’s mystery. There is so much beauty waiting for us.
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