Winter’s dark… but some of SSUC’s bravest went outside anyway! We were quite the spectacle before we got going each Tuesday evening… imagine all twelve of us gathered in a circle around a fire pit – with no fire lit – bundled up in all our winter gear like puffy snowmen, sitting on our summer lawn chairs!
We would open with everyone lighting a candle and then together lighting a big birch-wood fire. We then settled in for poetry, storytelling and sharing. Our theme was apt… darkness! Discussion was rich. We talked about the patterned seasonal living we all do in this part of the world, we thought about the unknown things that are ‘in the dark’ to us, and we held some of the more challenging aspects of our lives in the circle.
With all the grief that is associated with this time of year, it can feel like we are just trudging toward solstice. Through these “Winter’s Dark” gatherings, our perceptions about darkness shifted. Positive sides of the dark emerged. We wanted to share some of these insights about the dark so that perhaps tonight, even the dark night may bring you a little light.
…the dark as a time of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation
…the dark as a symbol of growth – seeds grow in the dark, just as we did
…the dark as a place of inspiration and dreaming
…only in darkness can we appreciate wonders like fireworks, fireflies, the stars and moon, northern lights and chatting together around a roaring campfire
