Here it is, that time of year again. The shortest days and longest nights of the year (Northern Hemisphere). For me, the Dark Days always went from Thanksgiving week until Christmas, and sometimes up until New Years.
Way back when I was married, holiday obligations ranged from family get togethers to work parties to getting together with friends. It all became way too much, and it wasn’t until I got divorced and discovered the book “The Highly Sensitive Person” by Elaine Aron that I realized why the holidays were so unpleasant for me. The hallmark of a highly sensitive person is that we tend to get easily overstimulated by what is happening around us. Combine that with a marriage that was not quite working out, and I just wanted to stay home.
Of course, holidays as a child were perfectly fine, except for the usual on going family drama that was bound to occur. That was nothing new. As children, all we had to do was open presents, enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, and hang out with relatives. There were no obligations.
Once I was single, I could pick and choose what holiday activities I wanted to engage in, in addition to being able to leave an event when it became too much. I do have to say however, that I am able to tolerate much more craziness now than in years past.
Now for the flip side of this yearly situation. This is the dark time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Days are short and nights are long. What a perfect time to hunker down and go within. Of course, that is easy for me to say as I am in a living situation where I can do that. If you are not, I encourage you to create some down time for yourself. Meditation, introspection, and contemplation are enhanced during this time of year. I recommend finding a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Even in your car will do if you need to get out of the house! Close your eyes, and quiet your mind. Do your best to sink into that dark void space and just be. Calm and relaxed. Even a few minutes of this is better than nothing. You can even set your intent ahead of time for some sort of outcome or information. By finding your quiet place, you will be resetting your energy field to zero to get ready for the start of the Winter Solstice, New Year.
The end of the Dark Days is the Winter Solstice, when the days start to get longer. For me, this is my organic New Year, and I always do some sort of ceremony on that date. When I lived in Colorado, I would have a pot luck dinner and outdoor fire ceremony to commemorate the occasion. The photo at the top of the page is of the Winter Solstice sunset from last year. That was the first time I was able to go out to the Parowan Gap for the event, as the weather was dry and balmy.
Winter Solstice is also a very important occasion for the Native American people. Energetic seeds of intent are planted for the organic New Year, and the Sun is called upon to help germinate those seeds. On that very important day, I can just feel the darkness starting to lift. My holiday season is finished at that point, as I do not celebrate Christmas. What a relief!
So please take some time off for yourself in the weeks coming up, and take advantage of the dark womb of the void for your healing, peace and calmness. That can be your holiday gift to yourself!
