Winter equinox and the season of gift giving

Now, we stand at the threshold of a new year. We say goodbye to the colors of autumn and its cool, crisp days, and prepare for the deep silence and stillness of winter. The harvests have come in. Now is the time to celebrate what we have gathered in this, yet another year, on Mother Earth.

As we step into December, we are in the season of gift giving. Unfortunately, it often feels that our culture has lost the grace and art of giving - of passing on what is of value - of bestowing blessings on each other. Instead, this season, for many, may feel like a frenzy of gifting obligations with no heart in it (remember Nietzsche's scaly dragon called "thou shalt?"). Or, it may be a season of loneliness, of counting one's losses, and contracting into oneself not for rest, but out of fear.

How then can we, as a community, bring back the grace and blessing of gift giving? 

We will do so, in part, by celebrating a time-honored ritual in our community, started by our teacher, Rick Jarow, many moons ago. It is a ritual of gift giving that comes straight from the heart. Here, each person brings with them an object - not new or expensive in a monetary sense - but one that is of value for them. One that tells a story. We place the objects on the altar at the center of the circle. And after a period of meditation, we make our way to the altar, and with our eyes closed, let one of the objects choose us (instead of us desiring or avoiding this or that). We then come back to our places, and go around the circle as each gift is held up in turn, and the giver tells the story of the object, what it signifies for them, and what blessing it brings to its new recipient.

We hope you will join us in this beautiful heart-warming ritual of mutual blessing and gift giving.

What to bring

For this ritual to work effectively, each person attending MUST bring a gift - because we want each one to leave with one. Please remember that this is not a new, shiny object - but something that has meaning and value for you, but one that you feel is now ready to be passed on to someone else.

Also, since it is a festive season, let us all bring some finger foods and/or non-alcoholic drinks to share at the end of the Cafe.