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A Meditation on the Shortening of Daylight
By Ellen Zucker | July 2, 2010
It is with poignancy, that I gaze at the setting sun at this time of year.
I love the long beautiful days of early summer. And the hour of twilight is a magical time. The sky’s colors change from vibrant oranges and reds to more subdued pinks and violets.
I feel kissed by the goodness of the Universe–and I’m humbled by this example of nature’s grace.
And as uplifted as I am by the beauty around me, as well as the sounds of summer–the ice cream trucks, the children playing in the street… I also feel a little sad.
The summer solstice, just recently passed, carries within it the seeds of the upcoming winter. For now on until December, the hours of daylight will diminish. Slowly at first. Almost imperceptible at first.
Just as the lush, lazy days of the summer season begins, the long hours of daylight that makes summer’s profusion of greenery possible, is already starting to diminish.
So the launch of the summer season begins the six month period of contraction as the Earth’s northern hemisphere turns away from the Sun. And likewise, the launch of the winter season carries within it the seeds of summer even as it is also a harbinger of winter’s cold, harsh weather.
Of course, I consciously understand that the rays of the Sun are not beneficent when you are exposed to them in an unlimited basis. The Earth would heat up too much and eventually conditions would become unlivable.
The rhythm of nature is an automatic corrective keeping the Earth in balance. The seeds of the coming winter are the ballast that propel the change in direction and change in momentum. There is a comfort in knowing that when you reach one extreme that the Universe has a mechanism to bring you back.
So like the tides and the ocean waves, back and forth, nature’s rhythms result in a dynamic balance.
As an astrologer I am an observer of the Universe’s rhythms. Unlike astronomers, who also observe nature’s rhythms, we, astrologers, go further and find meaning in seemingly random back and forth motion.
And with that we find balance and a ballast to ground ourselves to face the challenges posed by seemingly random events that face us on a daily basis.
Topics: Uncategorized, astrology | 2 Comments »
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:46 am
Ellen -
I am one of those that are happy with the shorter daylight hours. Definitely “Winter’s Child”, I love the dark evenings of November and December.
Blessings,
Bonnie
July 3rd, 2010 at 7:23 am
You are a great example that we humans have diverse viewpoints and preferences.
Thank you for pointing out the beauty of winter’s darkness. It is true that there is great beauty in all of the four seasons.
For me, it is a struggle to get out of bed on a cold january day when the alarm clock goes off, it is still dark outside, and the bed is SO warm and cozy.
When darkness falls in the late afternoon I tend to want to stay close to home–it draws me to the safety and security of my nest.