Hello, sweet soul.
I am tired this week. And, honestly, I feel a bit rushed. I have been busy, but not unusually busy. Still, my body and soul want to follow the slow, silent energy of this season more than my work, home, and 21st century life responsibilities allow. I am creating all of the space I can, I truly am. But, the nature of my soul craves more.
We are deep into the holiday season now. I feel like I am straddling the outer world, where I am pushing through to the finish-line and tying up loose ends before a short few days off from the winter solstice until January 2nd. My mind and spirit are almost already in that liminal, portal period of rest, which makes it a challenge to complete all of my worldly and societal tasks.
I am feeling the energy of the darkness of winter around me, still pulling me downward, inward, and deep into my soul. To be honest, I really want to just leave everything outward behind and nest in my cozy, warm, dark, candlelit home from now until the turning of the new year.
How are you doing out there right now? What are you feeling?
This morning I pulled the Spirit Keeper of the East card. The complete opposite energy of the waning, resting, quiet, nesting energy I am feeling. I was a little irritated when I turned it over, I must admit. What did this mean?
But, I sat for a moment and let the message come.
In native traditions, every direction has an associated spirit in the great cycle of life. Before I sit down to meditate, I call in all four spirits. I stand with my feel planted, face each direction, one at a time and draw in a long, deep breath, calling in the spirit of that direction. It’s a way of grounding myself, of casting my own kind of circle, and feeling a connection to the cycle of life through a simple, personal ritual.
When I turn toward the east, I call in the fresh, new, rising, cleansing, bright spirit of the morning.
The spirit keeper of the east is associated with the energy of the dawn and the return of the sun. This is the energy of new beginnings, new eras. Of possibility and hope that we are invited to feel with every sunrise and every morning. It is the quiet moment where the slate has been wiped clean and we are ready to begin again. The close of one cycle and the beginning of another.
Deep in the darkness of December, pulling this card gives me pause. True, the sun begins its slow return with the winter solstice celebration at the end of next week. But, I’m not ready for that yet. It’s not time for that yet. I still need the quiet mystery of the dark.
So, the message that rose up in my soul, like the rising sun in the east, was to not hurry there. I felt, instead, the call to double down on my love of this silent, dark time. To just keep making space for it and to be present so I can soak up all of this magical, wise winter energy.
A new era is coming. A new cycle begins soon. But, for now, I am simply focusing on preparing for the returning sun by letting the days pass by slowly. My only intention is to let them unfold, feel what I feel, rest when I can, seek out the magic of these everyday moments.
The sun will rise again. There is newness on the horizon. And I wait silently and slowly in the darkness of the here and now.
Sending you cozy love. xoxo. liz.
Update: Friday 15 December. Well, since this is coming out to you one day late, and because I don’t want to bombard you with emails (though you can turn off notifications for these Deep December letters in your settings), and also due to a bit of extra stress and chaos that has crept in, I think I’ll skip tomorrow’s scheduled post and then get back on track on Monday.
In keeping myself as balanced and slow and present as possible, I just need a little time to breathe through this weekend. Wishing you a warm, dark, deep, lovely December weekend.
Beautiful thoughts, as always, Liz.
Waiting for the renewal and peace of the coming light. Waiting for that gorgeous energy that rises in the east every morning-- the waiting itself it beautiful. It all reminds me of this verse of an old carol.
Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.
So beautiful and thank you for the reminder not to rush forward to the next season and cycle but also through this one. The dark is also calling me inward but I keep getting pulled outward too! Thank you for the nudge to stay in my centre (but with hope and optimism of what is to come) xx