I never knew much about advent growing up in a household with, as my mother famously called herself, a “fallen Catholic” (whatever that meant) and a culturally Jewish but Atheist step dad. To me, advent meant colorful calendars with tiny windows and doors, and most importantly, daily chocolates!
It wasn’t until recently that I began to understand advent in a mystical way, as a means to support our self-transformation, and encourage our personal connection to the divine.
Essentially, what these 4 weeks before Christmas are designed to do is provide a time to intentionally clean out in preparation for receiving the light.
And here’s the cool thing, it doesn’t matter whether you’re Christian or not. Because right now in the northern hemisphere, we’re in the season of darkness. And as we approach the winter solstice, Yule, Channukah & Christmas, the invitation remains the same.
We’re celebrating the return of the light.
As we explore this time through a mystical lens, what’s being asked of us is to awaken to that light within us.
In order to do that, we have to empty ourselves out, or if you like, Windex the glass so the light can clearly radiate.
How do we do that?
We rid ourselves of what is no longer needed.
One way is to purge your living space. Tackle a closet, pantry or bookshelf. What is ready to be released?
You can do this work as an inside job, as well, by identifying any old patterns or habits that are keeping you stuck in pain.
Perhaps one of these patterns arose over the Thanksgiving holiday. If so, use advent to step into this old wound, and identify its source. From there, you can release it by forgiving yourself and your loved one(s).
As Louise Hay reminds us, “I forgive and I set myself free.”
It’s kind of ironic that on the one hand, we’re being encouraged to buy stuff for the holidays, and on the other, the underlying mystical message of the season is to let go and let God. Personally, I don’t see it as an either or, but a both.
We can lovingly release what we no longer need and open to receive everything that is waiting for us.
How does that sound?
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Image courtesy of S. Herman / F. Richter on Pixabay