Posts by Pat:
Where does the darkness go?
We celebrate this coming Friday as the Winter Solstice, the turning point in our calendar as the daylight begins to increase each day.
The solstice has the shortest period of daylight and also the longest night of the year.
Yet, the light begins, ever so slowly, to return.
The light and the dark move to equalize, to come into balance and harmony. Darkness and light form a rhythm.
(And that’s no matter what the weather currently looks like! We know that the coldest days of winter don’t really show up for another month and a half.)
“When we bring a lamp into a darkened room, where does the darkness go?”
Darkness is simply the absence of light. And light does not have to fight the darkness. It only has to be itself and the darkness disappears.
Light is an energy and energy is everywhere present.
This light and energy can be found within us. It is not dependent on anything (not even the sun nor our circumstances). It is an inner awareness of our Spirit.
No matter in what Winter our soul may feel like, there is always a Spring on the way. The changing seasons are a reminder that the seasons in our life are also changing.
We don’t have to make these changes happen, we just welcome them. We can take this season’s opportunity to
- quietly and calmly listen,
- notice and pay attention, and
- renew our awareness.
Our December daylight may be short…
but our personal light and energy is not limited to the daylight of December.
We can choose to bustle around, energetically doing all those things on our to-do list.
And the darkness also gives us the time when we can reflect, replenish our energy, and be more peaceful, calm and happy. We can choose to see the stars!
Enjoy the gifts that the Solstice brings!
Your Golden Buddha
I’ve always thought it was a beautiful parable about the fact that we’re all already perfect and that all we have to do is chip away at the plaster that’s gotten in the way. But get this: The Golden Buddha is actually REAL! (Don’t you love it when you can combine historical reality with metaphorical […]
In a fog?
When we feel muddied and unfocused, unsure of which way to turn, we say we are in a fog. Like being in a fog in nature, we may feel like we can’t see where we’re going or where we’ve come from. And we’re afraid if we move too quickly we might run into something hidden […]
Kids said what?
Teacher: How old is your father? Kid: He is 6 years old. Teacher: What? How is this possible? Kid: He became a father only when I was born. (Logical? Of course!) Teacher: Maria, go to the map and find North America. Marie: Here it is. Teacher: Correct. Now, class, who discovered America? Class: Maria […]
Wisdom from Winnie the Pooh
Meaningful truths abound in childen’s books! And Winnie the Pooh and his friends are thought-provoking and inspiring! Here’s some of my favorites! On friendship~ On self-esteem~ “You are braver than you believe. Stronger […]
So should we ask why? Part 2
Last week I wrote about weakening questions like “Why does this always happen to me?” On the other end of the spectrum, there are the what and how questions that are strengthening questions. These are the questions that bring forth a perspective that will help us overcome any obstacle or challenge. Some examples of what questions are: […]
Don’t ask why! Part 1
There are basically two types of questions that we can ask ourselves on a daily basis. And today’s post will focus on the first type. This first category of questions weakens our ability to think effectively and, at the same time, makes us feel inadequate and incapable as we lose ourselves within our excuses and […]
Another Zen parable
A traveler finds himself lost, wandering in the forest for many days. Finally he comes upon a grass hut, the home of a lonely hermit. Exhausted and starving, the traveler remembers hearing stories of the ornery and aggressive hermit he must not confront-or die. If the traveler threatens the hermit with his machete and demands […]
Forrest Gump at Heaven’s Gate
Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven and is met by St. Peter himself at the Pearly Gates. But the gates are closed. St. Peter say’s “Well, Forrest, it’s certainly good to see you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. […]
Earth Hums Just Like We Do!
Scientists say that our planet generates a constant, deep thrum of noise. Not just noise, but rather a kind of music-“huge, swirling loops of sound” that are so low they can’t be heard by most human ears. But apparently, as of 1998, we have sensitive equipment that is getting better at picking up what the […]