Speaking of Spirit

(c) 2015 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas The message isn't new. Each year around this time, we are reminded that life continues, that nature renews itself. We see it in the first sprouts of spring, we hear it in the joyous birdsong of mating season, we smell it in the vernal rains that fall on fields near and far. But why do we need to be reminded? I believe that after the harshness of winter - the cold, the dark, the incessant chill - we need to be, in a sense, resurrected. We need to leave the tombs of our homes where we have hunkered down for the long winter months and step out into the light of spring's rebirth. We begin to see friends and neighbors once more, renewing old friendships or birthing new ones.  Around the world, this is the time of year that Christians celebrate Easter or Paschal Sunday. The promise of this Holy Day is new life. The Resurrection, followers believe, is the symbol of the rebirth of the soul. Just as buds return to the apparently dead branches ...

  New Grange, Ireland - were the sun lights up the tomb during the winter solstice. Photo Credit: R. J. Welch (late 1800's) For Christians around the world, this Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Advent, a season of anticipation...of hope.   In many other cultures and spiritual paths, this time of year is also a season of anticipation, of hope and of new or rebirth.  Humans from the earliest of times anticipated the return of the sun in the northern hemisphere, thereby creating the connection to Light at this time of year.  They hoped that their harvest would last throughout the long, dark winter days. They awaited the new birth of life to the fields, with their animals and even within their communities. As our longest day - the Winter Solstice - is celebrated this week , along with the other Holy days of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, let us ponder what we are anticipating, what we are hoping for and how we can become part of the birthi...

By Bestbudbrian (Own work) CC BY-SA 4.0  via Wikimedia Commons This holiday season is a difficult one for my loved ones and I, as it is for many people this year.  In my circle of family and friends, there have been numerous deaths - loved ones who are no longer here to share our joy or celebrate along side us. We must be gentle with ourselves and each other. In other words, we need to give ourselves permission to be happy as well as sad.  We need to allow ourselves the ability to laugh and cry.  Being gentle means it is OK to  want to be with others, but also wish to be alone.  When our hearts are filled with sorrow, grief becomes part of our life.   Grief is our response to sorrow.  Each person grieves differently.  The catch is that in order to move forward, to do the things we need to do in this life, we must not let sorrow consume us.  When we are consumed by sorrow, our lives become dark, empty places. Grief enable u...