By Shae Hadden
Bio

Tonight marks the longest night of the year—the time when the
prevailing darkness makes us appreciate the presence of daylight all
the more. Festivals of light and tree lighting ceremonies abound,
traditions meant to dispel the darkness. This holiday season I am very
aware of how much ‘light’ is needed in this world…

I
attended a tree lighting ceremony this evening, and was amazed at how
just a few candles could light an entire room and fill the hearts of
everyone present with hope that the darkness would end, and that light
would return. I was particularly drawn to this verse, which was quietly
read before the candles were lit:

The stars spake once to Man.
It is World-destiny
That they are silent now.
To be aware of the silence
Can become pain for earthly Man.

But in the deepening silence
There grows and ripens
What man speaks to the Stars.
To be aware of the speaking
Can become strength for Spirit-Man.
—Rudolf Steiner

Just as we age into a culture of decline, our very culture itself
seems to be entering a period of ‘exhaustion’. Capitalism and its
companion, rampant consumerism, have dominated much of the world since
the end of WWII. Yet they have little left to offer us in terms of
solutions to our global problems. The environmental and societal
consequences of our blind faith in these ‘isms’ are now all too
evident. Fresh ideas, new perspectives, ‘outside the box’ thinking are
needed urgently to pull us away from the brink.

The seasons of humanity, like the seasonal changes of Nature, may
appear to be approaching their darkest hour. What better time for us to
examine what is in our hearts, to see where we can best contribute our
time and talents, to look inside ourselves, find our own Buddha nature
and start letting our lights shine.

The time to act is now…make 2007 a year you will proud to remember.