Continuation

Today's reading in 365 Tao by Deng Ming-Dao:

Upon completion comes fulfillment.
With fulfillment comes liberation.
Liberation allows you to go on.
Even death is not a true ending.
Life is infinite continuation.

This is the last reading in the book I have been using in my daily spiritual discipline this year. Read a page, that includes some explanation or a story reflecting the short poem or series of lines; then write; then sit in silence. It has been a good practice this year. A good introduction to Tao. A whole year of commitment. And now a completion.

Just the other day, I began a new book, to prepare for a sermon, called Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers by Thich Nhat Hanh. The Vietnamese Buddhist teacher also talks about continuation...no birth no death...no separation...all part of the other.

Hard to believe at times. But I am starting to see.

It has been a year of births and deaths. All connected. Strung end to beginning to end to beginning. I like the image of continuation. I like the feeling of being able to connect to each and all, at some level...through recall, breath, image, a cosmic kiss.

Happy end beginnings, friends.

We are connecting, even now.

Beautiful Solstice Night

We gathered at First Parish in Malden last night to honor the Longest Night and help call back the Sun.

Thought you might like to get a feel for what we did. I hope for you warm times by the hearth with loved ones and dreams that will find their way through winter nights.

On the altar: A large Sun candle, many tiny tea light candles, sparkly ribbon and colored paper, beads and snow flakes, and a chime. In the fireplace: six large candles. On the piano: sparkly lights.

Opening Music

Opening Words

Children of the earth, we have come to sing to each other, Sister to Brother

Songs of our mother earth

Children of the earth, autumn soon will breathe her last breath

And quick will her death bear witness to winter’s birth.

Children of earth, can you feel the air getting cold as darkness takes hold

And sleep covers mother earth?

Children of earth, we have come to sit in the darkness, breathe in the silence,

Think of our mother earth.

Words by Phillip Palmer

Sounding of the Chime

Calling the Quarters Hail and Welcome!

 Spirit of the East, spirit of air, of morning and springtime: Be with us as the sun rises, in times of beginning, times of planting. Inspire us wth the fresh breath of courage as we go forth into new adventures.

Spirit of the South, spirit of fire, of noontime and summer: Be with us through the heat of the day and help us to be ever growing. Warm us with strength and energy for the work that awaits us.

Spirit of the West, spirit of water, of evening and autumn: Be with us as the sun sets and help us to enjoy a rich harvest. Flow through us with a cooling, healing quietness and bring us peace.

Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, of nighttime and winter: Be with us in the darkness, in the time of gestation. Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons as we celebrate the spiraling journey of our lives.

From Singing the Living Tradition

Carol Tis winter now; the fallen snow

Words by Samuel Longfellow

Antiphonal Reading The Shortest Day

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees;

They hung their homes with evergreen;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive.

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, revelling.

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - listen!

All the long echoes, sing the same delight,

This Shortest Day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, feast, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And now so do we, here, now,

This year and every year.

Welcome, Yule!

From Singing the Living Tradition

Words about the Season

Earth is winter’s element. Everywhere we are confronted with its motionless grace; water turns to stone and the world is bleached white as bone by snow and ice. Bare branches remind us of the underlying shapes of things, finally revealed in stark beauty. There is a special silence in winter. The few birds left to us are too busy trying to stay alive to grace the air with much song, and a muffler of snow hushes everything. It can be good to feel nature’s power now; despite all our technology, when a big snowstorm hits, we are immobilized, forced to stop and wait. Winter makes a stillness in us that echoes the season.

From Celebrating the Great Mother by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw 

Song Dark of Winter

Shelley Jackson Denham

Story The Rebirth of the Sun

By Starhawk in Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill

Responsive Reading The Great Mother

Queen of the sun! Queen of the Mooon!

Queen of the horns! Queen of the fires!           

            Bring us the child of promise.

It is the great Mother who gives birth to the child, the Lord of life,

Who is born again! Darkness and tears are set aside.

            Soon the sun comes up again!

Golden sun of hill and field,

            Light the earth! Light the skies!

            Light the waters! Light the fires!

By Starhawk in The Spiral Dance

The Passing of the Light

Face candles and say:

The wheel of the year has turned once more,

and the nights have grown longer and colder.

Tonight, the darkness begins to retreat,

and light begins its return once again.

As the wheel continues to spin,

the sun returns to us once more.

Light the sun candle:

Even in the darkest hours,

even in the longest nights,

the spark of life lingered on.

Laying dormant, waiting, ready to return

when the time was right.

The darkness will leave us now,

as the sun begins its journey home.

Invite each participant to light a small candle from the sun candle and share something they are thankful for and something they hope to nurture in the dark of winter, something that will spring forth in the light.

End with:

The light of the sun has returned to us,

bringing life and warmth with it.

The shadows will vanish, and life will continue.

We are blessed by the light of the sun.

From about.com

Song Deck the Halls

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

'Tis the season to be jolly

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Don we now our gay apparel

Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.

Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

See the blazing Yule before us.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Strike the harp and join the chorus.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Follow me in merry measure.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

While I tell of Yule-tide treasure.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Fast away the old year passes.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Hail the new year, lads and lasses

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Sing we joyous, all together.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Heedless of the wind and weather.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

Traditional

Releasing the Quarters Hail and Fairwell!

Sounding of the chime

Closing Blessing

May the peace of the season be with you.

May the dark of the season be a blessing to you.

May the coming light lead you home.

Blessed be.

Joanne Giannino

Closing Music

Wassail and treats followed the service. Blessed Yule!

quiet now...

it is snowing, ever so lightly; hesitantly, just a few flakes are falling and leaping; quiet or they'll hear us and stop...