"Here Comes the Sun"

Today I had a lot of conversations about celebrating the Winter Solstice. Most of those conversations were with my son who is steamrolling towards the adult-identifying age of 18 just a short month away. We have celebrated the Winter Solstice his whole life thus far. To a certain degree, he is evaluating its place in his future. In the past few months, books like "Awakening the Buddha Within" have begun to appear in his room. He is exploring his own spirituality and this, by the way, makes me ecstatic. He is a 17, almost 18 year old, trying to sort out how his Spirit speaks to him. Whatever the answer turns out to be, the questioning will stand him in good stead. Unquestionably.

Regardless of whether for the moment he identifies as a Buddhist, the Winter Solstice is welcomed for the Winter Solstice always comes with a special gift.

One of the aspects of the Solstice that I connect with the most is that of "The Birth of the Divine Child" :the newborn Sun shining ever so delicately but with the promise of the strength and heat to come. I can't help but think of holding my own newborn son in my arms, so vulnerable and yet shining his own bright energy and Spirit. One often hears of the wise eyes of the newly born. It is as though we see that presence of Spirit clearly in those few days and weeks of life. It never leaves us, but, as we all know and experience, it does get buried under so many other things over the years. There is a knowingness we have when we come into this world that is always with us, once we can put our hands on the tools to bring it back into our awareness again. There is an experience of Self that becomes our journey to rediscover.

On the Winter Solstice (and I can't imagine that this will ever change), no matter how he towers over me, I celebrate the Wonder Child in my own child. Reflecting to him that Light of Essence that I see, even in times when for him it may feel very far away. In truth, it is something we all need to do for each other and even for ourselves. Our bodies need food and water in order to survive and sustain. Our Spirits need to know ourselves as precious and our lives as meaningful. Spirits can become malnourished as well as bodies. (This, by the way, is called depression.)

Today was a lovely day. A bit of a pre-Solstice celebration with my Wonder Child. My Solstice gift to him a contribution towards something for which he has been working very hard. He positively shone with a sense of accomplishment. Beautiful to see. I also took some time to think about cracking open The Great Work to start a whole new annual Opus. (More than think, I answered the question for December 21 yet again and pondered it on an even deeper level than previous years.) Some of you are starting the Great Work (in this context anyways) for the first time. It warms my heart to think of so many of us meditating over the same questions and possibly entering into a different relationship with our own inner selves, including the Essence of the Wonder Child within.

For those actively engaging in The Great Work, I wish you a fruitful and enlightening journey. And I invite you to share your discoveries or questions along the way on The Great Work Facebook Page. Carpe diem!

As the season turns to the time of expansion and as you feel the warmth of the "newborn sun" on your face (between the raindrops we are promised - the snow will come, the snow will come!) may each and every one of you feel the inner glow of your own wondrous uniqueness, knowing the year to come is another opportunity to allow your Essence to shine forth.