Endings and Beginnings

Each year at this time I participate in a reflective online retreat with Author, Artist, and Minister, Jan Richardson. Today's blessing, Women's Christmas, is from this year's retreat writings. (To see the complete retreat, visit this site.)

Women's Christmas is an Irish tradition that signifies an ending to holiday celebrations and honors the work of the season done by women. Jan's writings are large ecumenical and welcoming to all faiths. Her meditative blessings are openings for reflection.

In this New Year let's do as Jan's blessing encourages and turn our faces to the light. Welcome a fresh beginning and the hope it offers by making a commitment to yourself.

On Monday, January 9th this blog will offer Ten Days of Mindfulness Meditation practices. With guidance and support, you can develop a practice that will help you focus, manage stress, and find balance even in challenging times.

See yesterday's post for details!

Those Stars That Turn In Us

A Blessing for Women’s Christmas by Jan Richardson

I do not know

how to keep it all together

or by what patterns

this world might

finally hold.

What I know is that

our hearts are bigger

than this sky

that wheels above us

and what shines

through all this darkness

shines through us,

setting every shattered thing

into a new constellation

and we can turn

our faces

to that light,

to the grace of

those stars

that turn in us.

~ Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash