We all need that slow moment, lingering in the blackness
behind closed eyelids.
Don’t go rushing out of the darkness yet!
Spring is coming, but not for months
It comes a day at a time,
And besides, I’ve gotten used to
The cold, cozy clothes, and hot drinks.
It’s not all bad.
We all need the shadows of night
as a blank, black canvas for our dreams.
It’s the pause between exhale and inhale,
A moment of emptiness, the void that allows
It contains everything,
gives things a place, a home
like the darkness of a womb, close and warm.
Whoever said darkness was bad?
It isn’t just dreams that unfold in the absence of light;
Seeds, too, begin to grow buried out of sight of the sun;
Fetuses become babies in shadowy womb waters;
A candle flame glows brighter in a darker room.
Eclipses are a special thing
A moment of unusual shadow,
Shadows give us depth and perspective
Don’t go rushing out of the darkness yet.
Midwinter is here. Let’s celebrate our persistence, endurance,
our inner heat and light that grow and glow despite the dark and cold...
...or maybe even because of it.
This weekend we have not only Groundhog day, but another special day called Imbolc (also known as Candlemas, Oimelc, and other names depending on the tradition). There’s a whole history there and it’s old, but for me, this time of year is relaxing into that darkness that brings insight, that turns us inward. We all need sleep; we all need a moment to slow down; we all benefit from closing our eyes for a moment, and in that break from the light, feel our breaths, our bodies, and just be in the moment.
How do you deal with this time of year (mamas in the northern hemisphere)? How do you stoke your inner flame and keep your light lit in spite of - or because of - that darkness and cold?