Journey Into The Light...

As we emerge from the collective darkness of the northern hemisphere and begin to usher in the increasing light, I am inspired to ponder the significance of it all. The time leading up to the Winter Solstice is a time of deep inner reflection, which can sometimes be uncomfortable as it stirs up feelings and emotions we may have long ago attempted to conceal. Although the journey into our dark regions seems disagreeable at best and painful at worst, it is here, in the depths of our uncovering, that the most precious gifts are offered that can assist us and lead us back into the light.

So often we, as a society, shy away from the unpleasant feelings, the unnerving itch that grabs for our attention as we continue to try to ignore it or deny it. I learned a while back that the only way out of these tumultuous emotions is to go right through them. You may have heard this before and there is a cute analogy I use to explain this to my son ~ you are a train and your emotions are the tunnel. Surely you can figure out how to get to the other side, can’t you? But what does going through the tunnel actually look like and what are the steps we can take when we’re in the middle of it? I have had countless opportunities to practice leaning into my darker emotions. There were nights, more often than I care to admit, when my fear was so strong that I literally thought I wouldn’t see the dawn of morning.