So dark so long,
Buried beneath the drifts--
Less light every day
Until one could almost suffocate in this frigid tundra.
Yet for weeks I have been seeking
I'm seeking the elusive light.
I see signs of my search everywhere
One commonality to the season,
Always the same
Around the world
Everyone yearns for the light in the darkness and cold.
In the yoga classes I taught last week I reflected every day with my students upon "light." The phrase we always end our classes with is "Namaste" which is often translated as something like, "The light in me acknowledges the light in you." There is this notion in yoga that there is a light shining within each of us. At times I can feel my light shining brightly but at others it seems weak and frozen. Cultures around the world seem to celebrate light this time of year. The solstice marks our shortest day and then from that moment on, we see a little more light every day. I am looking for this source of light within me as the new year approaches and I try to sort out my resolves for the new year. My despair waxes and wanes but I am determined to use the tools at my disposal to shake it off. Sometimes this seems to be a minute-by-minute excercise. Maybe it is harmful to constantly ask oneself, "Am I happy?" Often, I am not but I would settle for abiding content without anxiety. Perhaps that is a light unto itself.
One of my favorite sanskrit songs is about seeking light and a firmer reality. This song inspires me.
"Take us from the unreal to the real
From darkness into light
From death to immortality
Shanti (peace) Shanti (peace)."
I pray now that I find the light within myself as I move toward the new year and I wish the same to my readers.
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6 comments:
What a beautiful post, Nadja. Are you familiar with the story of Demeter and Persephone? In the simplest of terms, it is about passing through the darkness and returning to the Light. It is a tale explaining (again VERY roughly here), without darkness, nothing grows.
Your "seeds" are planted and they will surely grow...
Linda D. in Seattle
Linda, I do know of that myth. Nice catch. I like that notion that without darkness nothing grows. There is great creativity inherent in darkness. It has a place but it must remain in that place and not consume us.
Without silence, there is no music; both exist in beauty as light is found in the dark. I see the light shining within you and thank you for sharing it with us. Happy New Year to you Nadja.
Thank you for this post, Nadja. It is exactly what I needed to read right now.
What a wonderful post and very interesting as well. May the new year bring you happiness and peace Nadja. You have a beautiful light within you, let it shine. :)
The light in me acknowledges the light in all of you.
Namaste
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