Let there be light
+ an invitation to a Winter Walk, a little science, and a lotta love
Happy Solstice and fourth Advent!
In celebration of the Solstice, the darkest night of the year, and the return of the light, I invite you to join me for a Winter Walk tonight. It will be a sensory-filled, meditative celebration of nature and a symbolic reminder of the power of lightness. Homemade lanterns optional!
JOIN ME FOR A WINTER SOLSTICE LANTERN WALK
Sunday, 12/21 | 5:30pm EST
Walk wherever you are, join in at the link above
During this time of year, I love seeing all the Christmas lights on people’s homes. Growing up, my Dad started putting the lights up in October. Our house always looked like a lit-up gingerbread house from Thanksgiving until January 1. It felt magical. It was classic—no music-coordinated, flashing light shows—and it was hard work (for him). But it meant so much to me, my family, and our neighbors. You couldn’t help but smile when you saw our house every night.
Light in the Yoga Sutra
In the Yoga Sutra, light shows up many times, mostly in the oft-feared (and thus ignored, but my personal favorite) third chapter.
Sutra 1.36: Another way to purify the mind and regain your focus is to concentrate on your pure, blissful inner light that is always free from sorrow.
Sutra 3.21: By focusing on the form of the body through the process of samyama you can disrupt your flow of light and become invisible to others.
Sutra 3.26: By focusing on your inner light through the process of samyama, you gain knowledge of the subtle realm, that which is hidden from your view, and that which appears distant or remote.
Sutra 3.27: By focusing on the sun through the process of samyama, you can gain knowledge of the universe.
Sutra 3.33: By focusing on the light at the crown of the head through the process of samyama you can gain visions of the master teachers who have come before you.
Promises of invisibility, super clarity, knowledge of the universe, and knowledge from beyond are all benefits Patanjali promises if you commit to focusing on the light. Some people feel that the third chapter of the Sutra is too “out there,” but I don’t think it’s so far-fetched. I like to look at the metaphorical possibilities.
Sutra 1.36: When you shift your awareness to your own inner light, it’s impossible to feel sorrow.
Sutra 3.21: Have you ever walked into a room full of people and felt invisible? I bet you didn’t know the flow of light was being disrupted in your body at that moment. Put another way, something about that situation was causing you to dim your own light.
Sutra 3.26: Knowledge of the subtle realm, or knowledge that is “hidden from view,” is simply a reference to your unconscious and there are many ways to access it.
Sutra 3.27: The sun is indeed an important piece of the universe, so it makes sense that focusing on its light/life-giving energy will give you insight into everything else. How forward-thinking of the ancient (Eastern) sages to realize that the universe centers around the Sun and not the Earth.
Sutra 3.33: Focusing on your crown chakra, the energy-center located at the top of your head or just above it and associated with your connection to universal consciousness most certainly could bring visions and teachings from masters long gone. Opening this channel opens your connection to the flow of universal creative energy.
Light science
Finally, the science piece. I’m not a Huberman fan, but he’s a popular guy, so let me use his podcast to help convince you that light is cool and important. In a recent episode he had a conversation with Dr. Glen Jeffrey about using red light to improve metabolism. It’s a very long episode but they spend the first part talking about basic light science and how different wavelengths of light affect the body. Short wave-lengths can be harmful while longer wave-lengths can be absorbed by the body and actually change the function of your cell’s mitochondria leading to health benefits. So if Patanjali’s promises of invisibility wasn’t doing it for you, maybe Huberman’s scientific explanations will convince you that wellbeing and light are inextricably linked and thus light is totally worth celebrating.
The fourth Advent: Love
And finally, today is the fourth Advent, the final Sunday before Christmas celebrating universal, unconditional love. The love of a mother. The love of a newborn child. The deep love that exists in us all and can only be felt. Though many artists often create from the depths of pain, I believe that pain is so deep because we are all seeking its opposite—pure love.
Hug your loved ones tight today. Say I love you. Let yourself receive love.
Weekly Celebration Calendar
Sunday, December 21
Winter Solstice
Yule
World Snowboard Day
National Crossword Puzzle Day
Humbug Day
Look on the Bright Side Day
Monday, December 22
National Cookie Exchange Day
Mathematics Day
Tuesday, December 23
Festivus
National Christmas Movie Marathon Day
National Pfeffernüsse Day
Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
Last-minute Shoppers Day
National Eggnog Day
Thursday, December 25
Christmas Day
National Pumpkin Pie Day
Friday, December 26
Kwanzaa
Boxing Day
National Candy Cane Day
Saturday, December 27
National Fruitcake Day
National Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
Visit the Zoo Day
Merry Christmas! 🎄🤶
With gratitude,
Ashley