Sophia's Children

e·piph·a·ny

To reveal. Shine. Manifest Revelation.

An Illuminating Realization or Discovery Resulting in Elation, Awe, Wonder.

“So many people are frightened by the wonder of their own presence. They are dying to tie themselves into a system, a role, or to an image, or to a predetermined identity that other people have actually settled on for them.” ~ John O’Donohue (1)

Epiphany, Saturn in Capricorn, Jupiter in Scorpio and other Energies of Now all stir the yearning to Quest towards and step back into the Wonder of Our Own Presence, and express and manifest that in the world. Read on …

A very warm and heart-felt new year to you, my dear compadres on the Way.

Like my birthday totem, the Groundhog, I tend more naturally drawn towards hibernation during the coldest, darkest part of Winter.

Since I’m not a groundhog — which I bet surprises you — I’d call my version more of a semi-hibernation, following the wisdom of the uber-Yin, Dark Feminine, Winter season to conserve and cultivate energy; and reflect, review, and gather vision, ideas, and insights to seed and birth in the coming year.

Epiphany is a beautiful theme, actually, and one of my favorites (part of the Season of Lights from Solstice to February cross-quarter day), so I’m grateful that by some standards and calendars, we who choose to savor it have a bit more wiggle room. Phew!

Plus, why be stingy with light-stirring and light-sharing (just ‘cuz a calendar says so)?

In more contemporary times, these deeply spirit-rich and potentially renewing festivals have often been reduced to one day — one day of Christmas rather than twelve (though we count the ‘shopping days’ before); one day of Epiphany; one-day cross-quarter, solstice, or equinox observances.

But it wasn’t always so, and perhaps given the super-accelerated pace of our times, it’s worth rediscovering the Wisdom of the multi-day festivals so that we can truly touch into the spirit of them and in doing so, find the renewal and inspiration that is so vital to us now.

Epiphany, for example, was once celebrated as an eight-day ‘Octave of Epiphany’ by the Latin Church, until 1955, when Pope Pius XII put the kibosh on that (and apparently quite a few other lengthier observances).

So we can choose, if we’re so inclined, to dip into the octave of Epiphany for eight days, starting January 6th through the 13th (check your time zones for the dates).

Just a bit more time to cultivate Epiphany Spirit — invite some Spacious Mind (to loosen up that Narrow Mind).

And then there is the older calendar still used by some Orthodox Christian traditions, which has a 13-day difference from the Gregorian calendar many of us use.

From this older tradition, the 1st Day of Christmas falls in early January — the sixth or seventh — with Epiphany on or about January 19th, and the eight day octave starting then.

So you see?

These invitations, combined with the current deep-value-restoring meet-up of Mars with Jupiter in Scorpio (among other Energies of Now), offer up a month of potential Epiphany-cultivating that leads us right into the mid-Winter ‘light in the midst of darkness’ festival of Imbolc.

In whatever ways, allow yourself some space and time for reflection, rejuvenation, restoration, and renewal. Slow the pace a bit, nurture and nourish (yourself and others).

Gather, conserve, and cultivate your energy — especially if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere and in Winter season — to better source those actions and activities that are truly meaningful to you (versus expending energy without renewal, and ultimately burning out).

From those dark, still, and restful places, epiphanies spring forth, just as seeds incubate and germinate in the moist, rich, dark soils of the Earth, readying themselves for the push to Spring.

A bit more Sophia’s Children Muse-Inspiration:

This Little Light of Mine (the music vid will stir some heart-fire in you!)

The Evidence We Gather (and the Gifts of Gratitude and Appreciation)

Big Love & a Brilliant, Revealing Epiphany,

Jamie

Featured Image Credit: Magdalene with the Smoking Mirror, Georges De La Tour, 1640; Advent light and star. Rector’s Blog, St. Stephen’s.

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Lots of love,

Jamie