Light Amid the Darkness
As we approach the Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, in 2020 it feels as though we’ve been in dark days for far too many months now. Solstice festivals, like Dōngzhì, Yule, and Yalda, as well as the holidays of Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, are celebrated with candles and lights, for with the darkness comes the promise of more light ahead.
This season of light can also be an opportunity to become more attuned to the power of hope and the wonder of each new day we are given. I like the quote from St. Francis of Assisi, “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” It is unquestionably true from a practical sense – lighting a candle suddenly brings a warm glow, even in the darkest room. It is true too, that when we radiate positive energy – of respect, of empathy, of beauty – we ourselves can become that warm glow others see, even when times seem so terribly dark. We can hold space for how extraordinarily bright the future can be.
And, when we seek the light, we discover the bright spots in each day — and celebrate the small triumphs or sweet moments. At Soul Seeds, we are celebrating our first official partnership! The IF Project is a nonprofit “collaboration of law enforcement, current and previously incarcerated adults and community partners focused on intervention, prevention and reduction in incarceration and recidivism … built upon – and inspired by – people sharing their personal experiences surrounding the issues of incarceration.” We will be working with them on programming that supports their Health & Wellness curriculum. We are thrilled that when they experienced our meditation technique, they immediately saw how it could be beneficial to their participants. We’re looking forward to our work together.
We are also delighted that our first series of short (~10 minute) meditations will be going out each day leading up to the Solstice (beginning December 16). Many thanks to our board members who have stepped up (and are braving the video camera) to share meditations dedicated to caregivers of all kinds. We will post the videos on our Facebook page. We hope you will watch and share. The meditations are another way to connect with your inner light and practice self-care.
Gratitude to each of you for helping us hold the light of Soul Seeds. We wish you a holiday season warmed by love and a new year bright with promise.
Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
In Case You Missed It:
The Initiate, Ceremony, and Closing! | Blog by Nancy Rebecca – “…2020 was a year of being initiated into a new way of life, by beginning a process of spiritual expansion.”
Resources:
How to Help During the Coronavirus Pandemic | The Washington Post – includes a list of nonprofits and support for restaurant workers.
2-1-1 is a free, confidential connection to local services, including utility assistance, food, housing, health, child care, elder care, crisis intervention, and more.
10 Common Warning Signs of Mental Health Conditions from the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).
NAMI Crisis Text Line – Text NAMI to 741-741. Free, 24/7 crisis support via text message from a trained crisis counselor.
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