Ponderings of our Spiritual Life Director 12-22-21

Merry Solstice!

Winter Solstice Blessing

By Eric Williams

https://www.uua.org/worship/words/ceremony/292649.shtml

With faithful progress,

The Great Sun has traveled,

From north to south again,

And on this day pauses.

So we also stand still,

With the whole Earth,

In quiet thankfulness,

To the Source of Blessing,

The Giver of All Light.

So we also stand still… The ancestors in northern climates accepted the long, dark winters as a time for rest. For those of us in Florida, we may find the cooler weather to be invigorating and a time to get outside and be active. But yet, we still encounter long, dark nights and there are still days when the chill in the air might make us wish we could stay curled up under the covers for the day. However we take it all in, we still need a reminder to rest, to go easy on ourselves, to enjoy the moment with gratitude instead of the anxiety that comes with the holiday season. Oftentimes, in this American culture, expectations are set to a high, perfectionist standard that we cannot meet. We become busy with feeling like we have to do this and we have to do that. When really, what we are called to do by the rhythms of the Earth and our earthly bodies is to pause, to rest, to stand still. Whatever simple things bring us joy, that is what we have to do.

Slow down. Take care of yourself in this busy season. Connect with your body and the Earth. Find the beauty in the darkness and the rest it calls you to.

Holiday blessings to you all!