Going Within ~ Welcome Winter Solstice!

A year has passed since I began writing this blog. What an amazing journey it has been! Last December I learned that my landlords were moving back from Hawai'i and that I would need to find a new home. That proved to be a wonderful journey filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, but I landed in a cozy little cottage in a gorgeous Laguna Beach canyon surrounded by Nature and friends. I lost my feline companion of eleven years, Rusty, but found a new kitty friend who is also proving to be a "medicine cat." And last, but certainly not least, I turned sixty! What an amazing year!

So I enthusiastically look forward to bringing a peace-filled close to 2010 and dreaming in 2012 with intention and focus. This is the time of year where we review and reflect upon our journey.

Throughout history, in the Northern Hemisphere, this has been the time of the inward journey, planting "seeds" to germinate through the winter months. The Winter Solstice occurs when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.

The upcoming Winter Solstice/Full Moon/lunar eclipse is on December 21, 2010. This is always an important time of year but this year there is extra energy involved. It is a good time to focus and set intentions.

A lunar eclipse is a very special Full Moon. Decisions we make, things we let go of, and things we finish during this waning cycle have significance in the future. It is an excellent time to give up an old habit. Full moons in general, and lunar eclipses in particular, are times of high emotion, and they bring awareness. The sun and the moon, our animus and our emotions, are on opposite sides of the sky, as if the other were a mirror. This is a time of mirroring; we can see ourselves in others if we are willing to look.

This lunar eclipse brings an unprecedented opportunity to bring about a new way of being with regard to others with whom we share Mother Earth. We are called to act in a higher, more authentic way and to keep our mind on the oneness of all beings. In light of the world situation at this time, this lunar eclipse presents an opportune time for each of us to focus on this spirit of oneness with all others.

Blessings be upon you and yours during this holiday season. I leave you with this blessing from John O'Donohue ~

May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul
May you realize that you are never alone,
that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.
May you have respect for your individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here,that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful and eternal happening.
May you learn to see your self with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.