  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: Sophy  
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. This week we'll talk about how many religions find divine light in the darkness of December.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Light in the Darkness
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Gospel of John
“The lamps are different, but the Light is the same.”
Rumi
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Here in the northern hemisphere, December plunges us into deepening darkness as the days grow shorter, culminating in the longest night of the year on December 21st. And for that reason, several major religions choose this time of year for celebrations of light. While I'm no expert on other religious practices, below you'll find some very general information about some of the "celebrations of light" found in a variety of religions. For further specific information, check out the highlighted items below.
For example, Pagans celebrate Winter Solstice as a sign of the return of the sun, since after the longest night on December 21/22, the sun begins its long journey back to us after a long, cold, dark winter.
Also near this time of year (usually in October or November) Hindus celebrate Diwali, colloquially known as the “festival of lights" because a common practice is to place small oil lamps around the home and yard. Diwali commemorates Rama's coronation, as the lamps are a welcome for the returning king. The lights are also meant to help the goddess Lakshmi find her way into the homes of the faithful to bestow prosperity.
Jews celebrate Hanukkah during the December darkness, another religious “festival of lights” commemorating the rededication of the Temple in 165 BCE after it had been desecrated by the Syrian King. After the Jews returned to Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple, they held a service of rededication – but there was only enough oil in the lamp to last one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days, long enough for them to replenish their supply.
Kwanzaa celebrations, though not religious, are a growing tradition among African Americans. Kwanzaa centers on the Nguzo Saba, seven principles of black culture developed in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Pan-African studies and black cultural leader in the United States. These principles are unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Each evening, families and communities light one of the seven candles in a kinara and discuss the day's principle.
Likewise, it is in the gathering winter darkness that Christians celebrate Advent and Christmas, anticipating for four weeks the hope, peace, joy and love of Christ whose birth is celebrated on December 25th. Advent wreaths have one candle for each theme, and a central candle symbolizing God’s light coming into the world. For his compassion, wisdom and courage, Jesus came to be known as “light of the world.”
Images of light and darkness for the spiritual journey are profound. Expressions such as “a light at the end of the tunnel” and “it’s always darkest before the dawn” attest to the common experience that sometimes, when challenging situations become most threatening, we find hope in the possibility of a better future that only begins to reveal itself in small and subtle ways.
Reflecting on my own tradition as a Christian, it is amazing to me that the hopeful light of Christmas is associated with a baby born to parents in vulnerable circumstances. The gospel writers depict Jesus' homeless, peasant class birth into a world governed by elite and brutal politics. For some of us this concept may seem foreign, but in parts of our world, poverty, oppression and injustice still darken the circumstances of many. So while it may seem counterintuitive to look for hope in the presence of an infant and his disposed family, each year I begin to understand the connection a bit more.
The possibility of peace, the hope for justice, the experiences of joy and love can be realized only through compassion. Nurturing our concern for the well being of others, particularly for those who are not in a position to care for themselves, is the only way that human society will overcome the realities of fear, violence and greed that have so long dominated our existence. Thus, it is in creating room within the inn of our hearts for the vulnerable creatures of this world that light enters our darkness; room for the homeless and undereducated, for the refugee, for the uninsured, for other creatures, and for the environment.
In the midst of this dark winter month being experienced in the northern hemisphere, my hope is that whatever our faith experience, we might all experience the presence of a sacred light calling forth the best of what makes us all sisters and brothers in the human family.
Happy Holidays! And blessings of love and light to you all! Sophy |
Below you'll find some offerings about a variety of religious celebrations observed around this time of the year from other WDC members. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
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Here is a response to my last newsletter about gratitude! Hope to hear from more of you next time! And don't forget to pass on subject ideas for future newsletters. 
From larryp
Thank you for a wonderful newsletter, which is much more than a newsletter, Sophy. It was a breath of fresh air - a cause for pause.
Larry
Thanks so much for your kind words, Larry -- I'm glad you enjoyed the newsletter!
  
From Zeke 
In this season of Thanksgiving, one should always remember who we are thankful to.
Zeke
From mamia
This is a wonderful reminder about being grateful. Thank you!
You are most welcome!
From windac
Fantastic issue Sophy - one that's universal to us all!
A couple of years ago I gave Christmas cards to my co-workers, telling each of them how special they were and what a blessing they'd been to me. I didn't realize how much this simple gesture had meant to them until the next year when I didn't do it again. The point is, both the giver and receiver benefit from the tiniest acts of kindness and caring.
Thanks for the nudge Sophy, and since I now work at a different place, it's time to do it again!
 to you and yours!
Thanks for sharing about your Christmas cards! What a great idea, and something I'm sure they still treasure receiving from you!
From Kinikia 
Very beautiful article thank you for sharing. I look forward to reading the book myself.
Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy the book as well!
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophy |
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Spiritual: December 19, 2007 Issue [#2124]
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