The Universal Light and Truth

 

Good Thursday morning, good citizens of the cosmos. The day has dawned clear and bright on the second (of 12) day(s) of Christmas, the second (of 8 day(s) of Hanukkah, and the first (of 7) day(s) of Kwanza.

And, of course, it was just five days ago that we celebrated the Solstice - the day the earth turns on its axis and we begin to celebrate the increasing presence of light.

Anyone notice a theme here? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

This is for Bueller: Christians celebrate the birth of The Light come into the world to overtake The Darkness. The White Christ candle is lit in the center of the three blue/purple and one pink Advent candles on the Advent wreath, celebrating the gifts that Jesus brings into the world: hope, peace, joy, and love.

Jews celebrate the Miracle of Light that lasted even though they thought there wouldn't be enough oil in the lamps. On each day, a branch of the nine-branch Hanukkah menorah is lit with the shamash ("helper" candle), which sits on the middle branch.

Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for dedication, and therefore Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Dedication. It celebrates the rededication of the temple by the Maccabees, but also the rededication of hearts to love and worship God.

Kwanza celebrates and honors the culture that had been erased by the slave trade and brings the light of the African heritage into the darkness of continuing, modern manifestations of racism. A candle is lit each day for each of the seven principles.

There are seven principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguzo Saba:

Umoja (unity)
Kujichagulia (self-determination)
Ujima (collective work and responsibility)
Ujamaa (cooperative economics)
Nia (purpose)
Kuumba (creativity)
Imani (faith)

In faiths throughout the world, there’s power in the metaphor, the imagery, of light. Hindus have their own festival of light, called Diwali, celebrated on October 31st. On the night of the new moon, Hindus light diyas, which are small oil lamps made of earthenware, to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Homes, workplaces, and temples are cleaned and decorated with lights and candles. Devotees perform puja, or devotional offerings. Families share sweets and gifts at feasts

The Buddhist day of enlightenment is Bodhi Day, which was celebrated on December 8 this year. Fiscus trees are strung with beads and lights, to symbolize Buddha's enlightenment. Buddhists may spend time studying the Dharma and may perform acts of kindness and generosity to improve their karma.

Carl Jung spoke of the "collective unconscious," the part of the unconscious mind in every person that is derived from ancestral memory and experience and is common to all humankind, as distinct from the individual's unconscious.

Jung included in that collective unconscious dreams, archetypes, myths and legends, symbols and motifs, rituals and rites, art and expression, moral codes and ethics, along with phobias, instincts, and intuition.

I love that this time of year when things are cold and hard and dark, there is the warmth of a light that connects our common humanity.

If we allow it. If we are not blinded by our own light.

Each light has its own integrity. We ought not to reduce things to their lowest common denominator. That honors no one but the simplistic impulses of a lazy mind that has tricked itself into thinking it is being somehow kind.

There are universal truths and symbols to represent that truth but the unique understandings and expressions of those truths serve to deepen and enrich our individual and collective experiences as humans.

If we let them. If we don't let our competitive human impulses try to order them in rank of importance or significance. Let each one be true for each person and culture and time.

All too soon our life on this plane will be over and we will stand before The Truth which I imagine as the Unbearably Beautiful Light of Truth which expands the mind and warms the soul throughout Eternity.

I hope something good happens to you today.

Bom dia.

PS: Happy Boxing Day and Feast of St. Stephen to those who observe.