By Marguerite Jill Dye
The winter solstice arrived, promising the coming of light in our darkest hours. The other celebrations in this season also honor illumination: Christmas worships the love and light of Christ and our highest, truest selves; Hanukkah, the festival of light, hails the miracle of purifying the temple when a day’s supply of oil burned for eight days; the Hindu celebration, Panchayat Ganapati, gives the gift of joy as it raises the vibration of love and harmony in family, community, and the world; and the seven candles of Kwanzaa rejoice in unity, self-determination, work for the benefit of all, purpose, creativity, and faith. Every celebration has its own meaning and is a time for gathering families, friends, and communities together to praise love and light and share it with the world.
Now we prepare to usher in a New Year that we hope will bring peace, alleviate suffering, resolve strife, violence, and the flight of refugees from their homelands. May we turn a new page of humanity, may compassion flow like a river, hearts overflow with love, and hope rise like the morning sun. May only light prevail in our hearts, minds, and lives.
Think of all you’ve accomplished this year and the obstacles you’ve overcome. Try to imagine the New Year ahead. What do you wish to focus on? What do you strive to accomplish? Writing goals down on paper then visualizing their achievement gives them power, because the subconscious mind doesn’t discern between visualization and reality.
One of my recurring New Year’s resolutions is to declutter. In Feng Shui (“wind, water”), the Chinese art of placement, it is believed that decluttering cuts down on distractions, improves health, and provides space for new opportunities in life. I want to declutter my mind with less time on Facebook and watching television and more time in meditation, nature, and creating. I want to declutter my home by parting with things I no longer need or love that can benefit others. Even though I find that being surrounded by clutter steals my energy and attention, parting with family heirlooms or odd objects for future art projects seems to be my nemesis. By visualizing surfaces free of clutter and how space in each room makes me feel, the image is embedded in my subconscious and will be easier to realize.
May your New Year be filled with blessings, and may the dreams that you hold in your heart become real!
Two “angel” messages follow and seem especially relevant for the New Year:
Don’t let yourself become mired in the muck of human existence that is so easy to do. Turn off the TV, turn away from negativity. Focus on the positive you wish to create. Make a plan and follow it through. Lift yourself up. Seek solitude, deep thought, and meditation. Go outside in nature where your spirit belongs and where you can see clearly how great the gift of life is. Celebrate life in all of its glory, joy, inspiration, fulfillment, wonder, and beauty.
When you find yourself burdened by negative thought make a decision to turn off that switch, then turn on the one right beside it. Positive thought leads to positive deed which will lift you up to your natural state of living in grace. “What is grace?” you may ask. Being in your soul’s flow in a state of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Mindful meditation is a state of grace, where Divine guidance can best be followed.
The second message is to lift yourself above the human realms to gain a higher perspective. It will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and unsettled and remain more balanced and calm. Imagine you’re floating above the earth, enveloped in the light. Maintain that connection as you go about your daily chores with this new positive perception. Ask for protection and guidance each morning before you jump into action. We’re here to help and will help guide your way if only you will ask.
