“The Dark Sacred Night”*

Each of the seasons we cycle through offers both possibilities and responsibilities. The Winter Solstice, while a cosmological event is a season. It is Earth’s time of quiet and reflection. Earth is still, repairing and preparing itself for the next cycle of growth. Living in harmony with the seasons is healthier for us. Winter invites us to rest, recuperate, and regenerate. Holidays have become so frenzied that it can be easy to let that slip from our consciousness. Here’s a reminder: find some time for cozy solitude and reflection.

As a Peacemaker, my reflections remind me that Winter also brings four responsibilities:

Mending: In the agricultural world, Winter is the time to repair tools and machinery, to ensure they are in good running order. Farm tools are expensive and treasured companions which must be well-tended. For Peacemakers this is a time to mend any breaks in relationships that have occurred in the past year. How might we approach a relationship differently and repair the damage we have caused? We can’t be certain overtures of reconciliation will be welcome, but we can decide if our sense of integrity requires one — or whether the relationship might need a grateful farewell that acknowledges all that was and that there is no future. Either way, we can mend and repair in loving respect for the gifts that were given and received.

Wrapping: As we wrap up the fiscal year, we rush to finish projects in order to account for all we have accomplished. It is not just a duty but a joy to realize how far we have come. At the same time in many traditions, we are wrapping up gifts. Traditionally, gifts were given in Winter, as reminders that even in the cold and dark, Life is abundant. What do you want to wrap up? Currently, I’m wrapping up my Peacemaking projects, completing some, and accounting for how they fit together in order to determine how my Peacemaking will progress.

Restoration: The Dark is an invitation to an afternoon nap or a long night’s sleep. It is a reminder to finish whatever work is in progress. It offers the delight of sitting in quiet reflection. Resist the seductive call to endless busyness. Indulge in the season’s gift… sweet, sweet, rest. There will always be more work to do, but even Peacemakers need to snuggle in for a “long winter’s nap.” 

Visions: The first three responsibilities require us to look within and at those things that are very close to hand and heart. The Dark is not simply time for accounting. It is an invitation to look at the starry skies, to see visions, and to dream dreams. Rather than a time for action, Winter is a time for awe and joy. Darkness invites us to imagine beyond all the boundaries that constrict us in the light. Peace is possible! Peace at home, Peace on Earth. 

Peacemakers are always meant to be dreaming dreams. Whatever your tradition, however you celebrate, consider the gifts that our planet offers in the midst of the “Dark Sacred Night.”* Then consider the gifts of Peace you can offer in return.

Salaam, Shalom, Peace. Blessed be.

*What a Wonderful World” was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss.

Ann Keeler Evans, The Priestess and Peacemaker is in! Find me at https://annkeelerevans.organd sign up for my daily musing.