The Goddess of Love and Beauty, Aphrodite, is known for her golden aura. In autumn, the golden light slants, sending sunbeams into the corners of our homes, it moves in leafy patterns on the page as I write outdoors and I feel held in love and beauty. I watch as the squirrel takes the large orange seeds from the sago palm, one by one, to his winter hideaway.
I too, want to prepare. I feel myself spiraling inward to the place where all the golden nuggets have been stashed – to reflect and renew. A blue heron flies directly overhead and I remember the words of Jamie Sams in his book, Medicine Cards, “Heron asks that you examine yourself with a cold eye…and see the truth of [your] motives, actions, feelings, dreams, goals, inner strengths, and inner weaknesses. In balancing those truths, Heron’s medicine shows you how to meet the challenges of your personal weaknesses and how to continue developing the skills that lead to inner strength and certainty of purpose.” Winter, with nature’s cold and quiet is a natural time for inner reflection, a time to kindle the fires of an inner sun. I know that with this inner quiet and warmth and light, what I have to give and what I can allow myself to receive is expanded.
Writing Inspiration: Take a few moments in the morning to write down your dream or even just a list of the people or animals in your dreams. As part of your winter reflection, write a letter to one of those people or animals – you might begin with a question. Later, write a letter to yourself back from them. Finally, you can incorporate words from the letter in a verse, poem or affirmation. According to Carl Jung, every dream image represents a part of your self AND as Thomas Moore reflects, there are a 1000 ways to interpret a dream. With this writing practice, you don’t have to interpret the dream to glean some of the wisdom offered.
For support in our winter reflection my friend, Christine Lester and I are co-creating observances of the Holy Nights (otherwise known as the twelve days of Christmas or in Pre-Christian times as the twelve days when the forces of the Sun are renewed in each of us). For more information go to the Events and Calendar page at sharonelliott.com
Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Acknowledgment: P. Knezek (WIYN)
Sharon Elliott 