Metaphysical

Today is the Winter Solstice — the longest night in the year and the official beginning of Winter. Tomorrow there will be a gradual return to more daylight as each day passes.

But today is Solstice. A day of reflection, of peace, of quiet gratitude for the beauty of this Earth. Celebration of the Solstice had its origins in ancient times when people feared that their light source, the sun, who they worshipped as a god, was dying, leaving them without warmth and abundance. They developed rituals to bring back the light which culminated on the Solstice, gathering greenery, lighting bonfires, and reveling with music and dance.

Although the world is dark and especially cold, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a wonderful time to look at the moon and sky and be thankful for all we have. It is a wonderful time to reflect, to forgive, and look to the year to come. Peace.

PocketfulOfMiracles It is often said that when the pupil is ready the teacher appears. I believe that said teacher can also be in the form of a book by an inspiring author. So in addition to whatever novel, picture books, etc. I am reading at any given time, I am also reading a book of a metaphysical/inspirational nature. I find checking in with this book on a quasi-daily basis helps me keep my balance in a terribly hectic schedule, and where I am always trying to find time for my writing and illustrating.

The most recent teacher to appear is Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., a scientist, psychologist and mystic whose “guiding vision is to bridge medicine, psychology and the great spiritual traditions of the ages.” A Pocketful of Miracles was sitting on the front sale table at my local library when I most recently returned some books. It wasn’t there 2 weeks ago, and I remember Borysenko’s name as being in the bibliography of Sarah Ban Breathnacht’s Simple Abundance, another favorite of mine. Could I not pick it up?

Pocketful of Miracles is a perpetual calendar kind of book, divided into seasons in the tradition of much spiritual thought. Each day offers a seed thought and a prayer or practice. What has enticed me most is the weaving of the world’s great spiritual traditions, with the goal of bringing peace first in our own souls, and then peace and compassion to all on earth. I’m enjoying randomly letting the book fall open and finding my wisdom for the day, or turning to today’s date’s page.

The beauty of keeping going a book of this sort, is that it is always there, always ready to share the wisdom of its author, and should another teacher come along, it will always be waiting when the time is right once again for me to open its pages. I’ve temporarily put aside Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life by Wayne Dyer, a study of the Tao, as that will always be waiting as well.

A small amount of time spent each day journaling and soaking in some of the wisdom that feeds a soul helps me keep my balance in an often overly-demanding life. And I’m looking forward to A Pocketful of Miracles being my new teacher for now.