CosmicSandBox’s Weblog

Since ancient times, this solstice season has been celebrated as the return of light to the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun begins to shine longer and longer each day after December 21^st.  We could call this an outside–in experience as opposed to an inside-out experience.

            As our ancestors grew in their awareness they began to ask “Why are we here? What is our purpose?” Taking their clues from nature, they perceived there was a pattern of creation. Everything moved in a set predetermined rhythm in a “birth – death – rebirth cycle”. They discovered that when they followed nature’s pattern they lived in harmony, were prosperous, and happy. They were “going with the flow” as it were. You could even say they were “en-lightened” because they were aware that the outside pattern was within them also. They found their lives worked so much better when the inside and outside were in alignment!

            As a civilization we have made phenomenal progress in the physical outside world, even manipulating nature to our liking in many ways. Some of these manipulations are backfiring on us, which indicates we have been operating outside the perfect pattern. Likewise, we have made great strides in language and mind sciences, but have put our outer mental life above our inner soul life. This too is operating outside the perfect pattern.

            One current example of how we’re doing this is that we forget that the words and symbols describing this season are not the actual inner meaning of the season. I’m referring to the battle going on between whether to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. The words Christmas and Holiday are just words. They are not an inner experience. Whether or not you have a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday comes from within you according to your understanding of the meaning of life. Enlightenment, love, joy, peace and bliss don’t come to us via words.  Just saying these words doesn’t give you the experience of them.

            We see the confusion between outside words and inside experience being played out between the Merry Christmas group and the Happy Holidays group…at least in the USA. Each group claims the other is forcing their beliefs on the other and ruining the spirit of the season. The Merry Christmas group believes the Happy Holidays people are persecuting Christian believers and preventing them from exercising their freedom of religion. The Happy Holidays group believes that they are damaged by having the word Christ pushed on them and preventing them from exercising their freedom from religion. It is all just two sides of the same coin – the coin of the 3D realm – life outside in or resisting the pattern of creation.

            We cheat ourselves if we live our precious lives outside-in. It is almost like a slap in the face to the Creator, (whatever you may choose to name that deity) because it is denying our essence. Scripture says we are created in the image of God. Ancients spoke of us as being sparks off the Sun. We are illumined from within as is the Sun. But we are free to choose to limit ourselves and lose our peace over whether or not others say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”; and whether or not members of one faith appreciate the symbols of another faith on display.

             Enlightenment (light within) is the reason for the season. Allowing the Light to shine on our inner darkness and transform it is the goal for each and every one of us if we are to embody and experience what we are created to be. We are spiritual beings having a human experience, not just human beings having an occasional spiritual experience. Each time we find ourselves tempted to get hooked on words or symbols that conflict with a belief we can catch ourselves and go within to the still center point.

            It is said that people usually don’t remember what you say, but they will always remember how you made them feel. That is living inside out. Let go and let the Light shine. It is a wonderful thing to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of each individual part of the whole.

Merry Outside, Happy Inside Christmas Holiday!