Winter Solstice — Congregation of Sisters of St Joseph in Canada, Theater News

Winter Solstice – December 21, 2024

The people in darkness have seen a great light. Isaiah 9:2

For millennia people have celebrated the return to longer daylight by counting the hours, hosting a feast, burning a yule log, hosting a reflective event, lighting candles; the options are endless. Who doesn’t love daylight. This year, however, my solstice reflection has focused more on the gifts that darkness offers. Recently we have had some stunning night skies. We have had 4 supermoons this year, unusual southern views of Northern lights, several meteor showers and amazing views of constellations. We would have enjoyed none of these were it not for the darkness that amplified them. City dwellers miss out on so much of these experiences because of too much light.

Carl Jung believed that enlightenment comes from becoming aware of our shadow self rather than from imaging the light. Light and darkness for me are two sides of a necessarily balanced coin. On Dec 21st this year challenge yourself to celebrate the gifts of both light and darkness.

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Image: Kacper Szczechla @wyroq/ Unsplash