THE WINTER SOLSTICE

I wrote a series of books a few years ago that no one wanted to read. Don’t fret. My internal therapist told me to get over it. It’s on ongoing process; though an occasional tear still falls. Apparently, that’s what happens when you put all your effort into something with no success.

Anyway, it was a story, a series really, of a teenager working through the otherworldly effects of how Celtic myths and mystics help her understand this silly thing we call life. And like most of us, she fought what the Universe was trying to teach.

I spent much of my manuscript research understanding the Celtics’ view in regards to the eight parts of The Season of the Cycle. (Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with too many of the details.) Basically, we are meant to evolve, to not only strengthen our own souls, but to help those around us become better humans. In essence, the Cycle equates to change.

The Celts suggest various cleansing rituals with candles and music for each of the seasonal changes. I am personally not into the idea of rituals, that is, unless there’s a full moon beaming in the hot summer night. My neighbors have more than likely seen me skinny dipping under the moonlight—for prosperity of course. Whichever way you think about it; yes, there’s a full moon in effect. Ha!

Today, we are entering the eighth stage of the Cycle, or the Winter Solstice. This is a time, according to the Celts and many other cultures around the world, to take time to recognize the darkness swirling inside each of us. And when I say darkness, I mean the things no one wants to talk about—the countless self-deprecating emotions like, career choices, control issues, economics, compassion or lack thereof, relationships, or self-worth.

You see, there’s a vulnerability in searching deep within yourself to find those dark feelings. It has been a little over a year since I had received, literally, my one hundred and third rejection of those manuscripts mentioned earlier. Every time I think about those wretched No Thank You emails, my gut takes a turn and pain shoots from the inside out.

These deep feelings of sadness, however, have helped shaped the writer I’m becoming. Because if it weren’t for all those No’s, I wouldn’t have started this blog and had the opportunity to speak to you. See how sometimes good things can come out of a bad situation?

The darkness within us, whether we like the feelings or not, are valid emotions that need a bit of starch and an iron. That is why not only the Celts, but I, suggest over the next few months, we focus on our taboo temperaments. By consciously choosing to understand our illogical brain waves, we can begin the change toward enlightenment.   This introspective method, if we’re honest with ourselves, is meant to help us let go of the ugly we despise about ourselves, or what others find disturbing. By discovering and conquering the angry darkness inside you, light is born. And with the light, The Cycle revolves once more into the spring, where new life, our life, grows from the warming earth like plants growing from the soil again.