NATASHA WINKLER
When we hear the phrase “’Tis the Season,” our minds often jump to the frantic choreography of December: the shopping lists, the travel plans, and the calendar invites. But if we pause the noise for just a moment, we find that beneath the wrapping paper and the rush, there is a profound, shared spiritual current running through this time of year.
Regardless of our specific creed, whether we are celebrating the miracle of the oil, the birth of a Savior, or the return of the sun on the Solstice, we are all strictly adhering to one universal human impulse: the longing for light in the darkness.
This year, rather than getting lost in the “to-do” list, let us focus on a “to-be” list. Here are three spiritual intentions to foster an all-inclusive, sacred holiday season:
1. The Intention of Radical Hospitality Almost every faith tradition carries a mandate to welcome the stranger. This season, hospitality means more than hosting a dinner party. It means making room in our hearts for those who think, vote, or pray differently than we do. It is the spiritual practice of seeing the Divine in the face of everyone we meet, from the family member we disagree with to the cashier at the grocery store.
2. The Intention of Sacred Stillness In the Christian tradition, the “Silent Night” is holy. In Jewish tradition, the Sabbath candles require a cessation of work. In nature, winter is a time of dormancy. Let us set an intention to resist the culture of “busy.” Find ten minutes a day to sit in silence. In that stillness, we often find that the barriers between us dissolve, and we reconnect with the Spirit that animates us all.
3. The Intention of Being the Light We are not just consumers of the holiday; we are creators of it. The ultimate celebration is not what we buy, but what we give of our essence. Compassion, forgiveness, and kindness are the only gifts that truly transcend religious boundaries. When we offer hope to the hopeless or company to the lonely, we are manifesting the true spirit of the season.
This December, let us honor our distinct traditions while acknowledging the one sky that covers us all. May your season be filled with the holy, the human, and the light that never goes out.
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