Seasons of Darkness and Light

Over at Broom With A View, AmethJera has written a beautiful post about what the Christian season of Advent has in common with the way many Pagans celebrate this time of year. I feel much the same way, this year.

I've now had almost a year very consciously trying to work out who I am, what I believe, which gods I worship, what I value and where I'm going. I'm a long way from working all that out, but I am learning that my spiritual journey is one unbroken line. This doesn't always mean syncretism - the term 'Christo-Pagan' doesn't fit me very well at the moment - but at times, elements of syncretism can make sense. And this is a time of year when the 'waiting for light' concept is common across many religions. That's no accident, but I don't believe it means any faith has 'stolen' from any other. If anything, we've all influenced each other's beliefs and practices as our faith communities have walked their spiritual paths through the centuries. One well, many rivers.

At this time, the Christian church is waiting for light. They look to the coming of a divine child. They wait for the Son.

At this time, Pagans are waiting for light. Many look to the coming of a Divine Child. They wait for the sun.

Together, and with others of spiritual and religious faiths, we wait.

This year I'm waiting for light in particularly deep darkness. But it will come. 

In my approach to this, we wait for and work towards and co-create a better world, where the balance of dark and light is restored, and where power is less tipped in the direction of destruction (of the earth, her creatures and our fellow human beings) and oppression (of anyone less fortunate than the most fortunate, but especially of the weakest, the easiest targets).

At this dark time, what do you wait for and work for?

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you...
Christ, be our light,
Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness...
- Advent hymn