Picture: Santa Claus created by Lois Hickenbottom
For those of us in the largely Christian West we have entered the Christmas Season; ostensibly celebrating the birth of Jesus. As with many religions that spread to new lands folk traditions often become incorporated into the newly accepted faith; so, among other things many of us will have Christmas trees in our homes.
Yesterday we put our tree up, complete with lights and the delight of bringing out of storage decorations—many of which have special meaning. This early morning I sit in otherwise complete darkness with the lighted tree shining—and with it there is a magic spell that comes to life. It is this special feeling that is so much of the power behind the traditions and celebrations of Christmas.
We love to see the look of wonder in our small children, and through that to re-awaken in ourselves the experience of magic. Without a focus on the underlying power of these traditions we can get caught up in the externals of buying gifts, going to parties, and all the traditions that goes with this season. The feelings of awe and magic are tender shoots that can be choked out by the pernicious weeds of excess, greed, competition, alcohol, drugs, and getting caught up in being too busy and having too many commitments to do it all.
Whew, take a breath! I am far from bah-humbug, for I love this season of lights in darkness, listening to Handel’s Messiah and other favorite music associated with the season, and watching movies such as “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Jesus of Nazareth,” and “Scrooge” (I especially like Alistair Sim). I am also aware that in trying to capture the magic of the season we may lose focus on what is essential, allowing those noxious weeds to strangle those very tender feelings right out of existence.
That feeling of magic and awe we love to see in children–is not for children only! It is unfortunate that because we use fanciful stories and contrivance to evoke that feeling in children we can quash that very needed quality by our adult view of realism. We can turn it all around, inside out and being repulsed by the excesses become the bah-humbug of Mr. Scrooge. Of course, the fully adult version of magic and awe comes with loving God–in fact we do our children a disservice in not teaching them this “reality” from the beginning. When our whole being is lit up with the eternal Light, we become a finely decorated tree with the spine as the trunk and nerves the branches. The Star of the East is seen at the Christ Center of the ajna, and gifts are delivered when those fine spiritual feelings are felt throughout our beings. Christ is born anytime the Presence of God is felt and there are acts of loving service.
We honor the season best when we dive deep in meditation to find the Source of that most powerful feeling of magic and awe. Then we will be mindful to not allow noxious weeds to drown out those refined feelings. Let us look for ways to serve others, and to teach our children that rather than Christmas being all about, “What am I going to get,” to be a time also of, “What am I going to give;” to help our children to find true magic, to find God within.
May you have the very best Season ever, and in magic and awe may the tender and all-powerful Divine Incarnation of Christ be born in you.