I've been thinking about Solstice as it's approached this year. I think it's connected to my paying more attention to the moon cycles and making art referencing the moon.
Anyway, as I've been reading and listening to other describe Solstice, words such as, pause, being still, being present in the darkness, introspective and waiting for the light keep coming up.
Solstice is so close to Christmas that it often gets overlooked or dismissed. I was thinking though, that the whole idea of Solstice with it's pause in the darkness, the waiting and hope for the return of the light, fits exactly what Christmas is about.
We are expectantly waiting for the arrival of Jesus, our light to arrive. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus arrival and the hope and light that He brings. Before the arrival, we wait in the darkness, pausing to be introspective, seeing the ways we need hope, realizing just how much we need the coming Light.
And so, I think Solstice fits well into our Advent season of preparing for Christmas.