Winter Solstice - Inner Spiral

We are part of the cycle of earth. What happens to her also happens to us. We are mirrors for our Goddess Gaia. The winter is a time of inner reflection and dancing with our shadows. Planting the seeds, we will harvest for our future. Nurturing them. Growing them in the sacred rich soul of our creation. As we go within so to do we grow wiser.... the spiral of light leads us to the spark of our creation reminding us of who we truly BE. As we can come out of the spiral of winter we emerge in the springtime rested and ready for new beginnings in our life. The seeds we plant now will blossom with the balance of the spring equinox. This is often a hard time of year for many - me included. It is dark, we are feeling lost and pulled in many directions with to-do lists filled with things we are not sure we can get done in time. Everyone is asking for help, money, time and energy....and most of us just keep charging on like the energizer bunny of my youth cartoon genre. This is not the time of year for GO GO GO, this is the time of year for REST, STILLNESS and HEALING. Forgiveness is such an important gift this time of year. I know my family has been "feuding" for so long I have honestly forgotten why, I know the general reasons...but am I still upset about these things? No. But do we call and talk to each other? No. I opted to change that this year. Calling my Mother whom I haven't spoken to in about a year. (I was upset because she had not called me). Alas! Humans are so silly with our grudges and our stubbornness. My Mother and I had a lovely conversation- a healing one in fact- because I was ready to heal and forgive. She said a few things that could have been trigger points, but I opted to respond with love and let her have her own opinions, feelings and simply let love lead the conversation. I also knew I wasn't wanting to fight - I was not craving that need to be right. Instead, now I crave healing and peace. The main thing I told her (and reminded myself of) is that we all have our own drama in this life. The problem is instead of having empathy for others when they are having a bad day - we take it personally and think it is about "us" and our "feelings get hurt" when in reality we just need to love the person enough to let them have a bad day and forgive them! I had a traumatic year with a house fire and all the heartache that ensues with it. Instead of my mother letting me be upset about it and angry and bitter (which I was) she took it personally when I lashed out. Now, I know I wasn't the nicest in those moments, but those moments were my weakest. Instead of forgiving me and understanding my mom took it personally. Her reaction was to not call me - in the hardest year of my life- because she did not think I wanted to talk to her. And I got upset about that. We both made mistakes and we both took things personally and we both were suffering because of it. When you forgive easy and do not take things personally - That is when relationships will work their magic best! This time of year allows us provides us with a landscape of darkness so we can rest and heal and forgive...in that order. Forgiveness

is key. It is a gift to yourself to not hold on to that anger anymore. To not take it personally. To let it go. We must allow ourselves rest and integrate the year as we spiral deeper inward processing what went well and where we can go better. Looking to our struggles and asking, "what was the gift in that lesson for me?" Instead of focusing on the gifts under a tree let us look at the gifts we have received during the year. Gifts, Lessons, Wisdom. Prayers are gifts we give to others...who are you praying for? Know that many are also praying for you. I send you prayers right now as you read this- may you receive it in your heart. If you are not ready to receive- save it for when you are ready to open the gift and need it most. If you are in the area I live- Monadnock Region Jaffrey NH I am leading a winter solstice prayer circle tonight. Life Path Fellowship. 16 Colls Farm RD Jaffrey, NH. $20 at the door. Many blessings to you and yours. May you rest, May you fine peace in the stillness and may you heal all of your wounds and re-emerge as the goddess/god you are meant to be. Aho.