From darkness to light

The end of the year approaches.

As we move through December, may we feel the joy of togetherness with loved ones, the blessings of those who came before us, and the importance of our personal accomplishments.

Let's also see ourselves clearly... we may feel the tension of frustration, the weight of sorrow, or the discomfort of guilt. Changing the calendar doesn't usually change our patterns of perception. As the year ends, we may find ourselves, once again, facing the unfinished business of our emotions.

Life offers us so many gifts to appreciate but sometimes we don't immediately see them clearly. We see life's bounty as a burden. We aren't sure why it had to happen to us. We feel overwhelmed or even victimized by the changing nature of life.

The upcoming solstice gives us a lovely opportunity to contemplate the way we sway with life's dance through dualities. While life spins through change, we're reluctant to move with it. On the day of the solstice, we experience the extremes of darkness and light. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice brings us our longest night. It marks a shift in our earthly cycle with the sun and calls us to reflect on our own cycle with the abiding light of conscious awareness. This light shines always but our emotions and beliefs often blind us to it.

This year, the solstice falls on Tuesday, December 21. In preparation for our long night, I hope you might join me to chant the Gayatri Mantra.

The Gayatri is an ancient mantra celebrating the light that illuminates our every plane of consciousness. It reminds us to pause and worship that light that guides us toward awareness of our place in life's dance. We realize that it's only in darkness that we perceive light. We realize that we are the light that allows us to perceive.

If you care to, please join me in San Diego or online at 4:00pm Pacific time on Tuesday, December 21, for a Winter Solstice gathering. We'll move, breathe, and chant to welcome light into the darkness. We'll also sit quietly to honor every beautiful way we that discover illumination.

Wherever we are, whatever confronts us, let's look for the light.

Whatever we have learned, let's share our illumination with the darkness.

In every moment, let's remember we find the light in the fires we build, in the smiles of others, in the joy of sharing, in our hearts... the light is always guiding us to live more deeply with everything.

Let's love as well as we're able. And remember we're all connected.

If you'd care to join, please email me (megan at knowthyselfyoga dot com) and let me know if you'd care to attend in-person or online.

Also, please join the newsletter if you'd like to stay up to date with events and other interesting tidbits. You'll hear from me about once a month or less!

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