Happy New Year! As many of you know, I am a part-time ski instructor, and have been for 25 years. In the snow sports world, warmth and rain are dreaded--they reduce our snow cover
(and our visibility), and create challenging days out on the slopes. I happened to teach on just such a rainy day this past weekend. The mountain was shrouded in clouds, and my 5-year-old students had a great time seeing if they could taste the fog (they determined that it did not have a taste).
I took this picture from the top of the mountain. I have many pictures from this spot, often on clear days when we can see the top Mount Washington (just under 100 miles away). But this view from above the clouds took my breath away, with the tops of smaller mountains just peaking out from the cloud cover,
As I look at it now, it reminds me that there is light above the clouds. It also reminds me of journeying--how we see something new, and beautiful, and often unexpected. It's amazing to me how much more clearly we can see the patterns of light when light has the clouds to play with. It shows how the interplay of different forces in nature brings out the beauty in each other. The interrelatedness of light and shadow, clouds and clear sky, all of them bringing out different emotions in those of us who perceive their dance.
This is a time of year when many people feel overwhelmed by the darkness. This overwhelm is also a side effect for many of us who read the news, becoming more and more consumed by what concerns us (and our concern is certainly warranted--it is an expression of our compassion, and without compassion we have no chance of being effective in shamanic work).
But don't forget to look up--is there light among the clouds? Remember that darkness and light are a dance. Without one, we cannot understand the other.
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