A Solstice Letter from Christmas (by Franco Santoro)

The Winter Solstice, whether you experience it in the northern or southern hemisphere, is a glorious celebration of the mystery of polarities, the ongoing relationship between light and darkness, heat and cold, bestowing the awareness that all aspects of life are part of the same whole. This is why all human cultures have always found a way to celebrate this moment.

The Winter Solstice, and the week that follows, is the ideal time for acknowledging the cycles of the Earth, for slowing down and gaining awareness of what is happening in our life, where we come from, where we are going to, where we are and what truly matters on this journey.

In 2010 in many parts of the globe we have experienced significant climatic changes, and especially in these weeks things are pretty hard in Europe due to snow and cold weather. There are also financial crisis, environmental issues and other major planetary grievances. It seems as if our planet is likely to encounter massive upheavals in the coming years.

Yet, as far as I can remember, this situation of uncertainty and emergency has been the case since I was a child, and I have reasons to believe it was common also before.

The only truly meaningful way I can find to face the problem, whether it is a real problem or not, is to find out who we truly are. This will also lead us to find out what we are doing here and what the real issue is. There is no point in dealing with an issue unless I know who is dealing with the issue and what this issue is. And since the issue here seems to be that we do not know who we are, this is where to start from, before doing anything else.

The long nights around the Winter Solstice are most soothing and healing times. They lay across as gentle blankets, dispensing the gift of tenderly coming together with our beloved ones, and also of remaining alone (all-one) in the company of all our inner parts. Joining to celebrate, either alone, with others, or both, being close and dreaming.

Dreaming about what is good, what we wish for ourselves, for our brothers and sisters, and the world. Yet, this is also a time, when soaring dreams can be launched and grounded on Earth, when we can decide to sow the seeds of our highest aspirations and then commit to cultivate them, serving ourselves and the world.

This time of the year is perfect for recapitulation, one of the most healing shamanic practices. Recapitulation involves experientially reviewing one’s life and liberating unconsciousness and grievances trapped in the past. These grieving and unconscious elements are persistently recycled into our personal history from the collective planetary memory. They are the cause of all recurring emotional conflicts and unmentionable feelings. They are what keep us enmeshed in a separate reality, draining the vital energy we need in order to access our true nature and rise again into the multidimensional realms. These grievances continue to instigate an ongoing state of emotional captivity, until they are thoroughly identified, processed and finally liberated into the flow of the universe.

There are many techniques that can be employed for recapitulation, including established practices traditionally used during this holiday time. Although some of them do not necessarily display overt shamanic connotations, they are most powerful when practiced with integrity and purpose (see the article “Recapitulation and the Twelve Days of Christmas”).

During this time of the year many of us are likely to receive and send copious holiday greetings letters and cards. I am not a champion of this type of correspondence, yet I am pleased to receive it. Above all, what I truly like to receive at Christmas is a letter of holiday greetings from myself. This is a letter only for me, which I do not share with anyone else in this world. Yet, although the content of the letter is classified in the ordinary world, it is public in other realms. This letter is directed only to me on this planet, and yet it is an open letter throughout the multidimensional realms and up to God him/herself.

In this letter I acknowledge all the gifts I have received during the year, telling about the episodes of joy, beauty, success and love, including wishes, hopes, and aspirations. I write about people and places I feel grateful for, lessons I have grasped, making sure that some obvious things, which I tend to discount or take for granted, are also fully honoured. In the letter I express my intentions for the New Year, and the beautiful things I wish to experience and create for myself, my beloved ones and the planet at large.

In the letter I write about my disappointments, fears, sadness and other grievances. I speak of situations where I have felt confused, stuck and unable to cope. I mention the pain, misery and whatever in my perception causes sufferance in me and the world. I ask for healing, true understanding and release of all this. Here I do my best to be direct and honest, acknowledging accidents and tensions with people, especially what still appears to be unresolved. I include also refer to extreme areas of darkness, grief and helplessness.

In this letter I allow each part within me to express, all my chakras from top to bottom, and the features of my astrological chart, no matter how good or bad, contradictory and paradoxical they may seem. In all I write I can be very open for I know that the reader truly understands what I mean. This is a holiday greetings letter from and to someone who knows me very well. It is a letter addressed to me, and to God, who in the end includes everyone and everything, which means that this letter also saves the time of having to write so many greeting cards and alike.

If you wish, you can also write yourself a similar letter, which I regard as the best letter that can be received at Christmas. In this part of the year also many children write letters. They write to Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. Traditionally they used to put the letters into the back of the fireplace, so that the draught could carry them up the chimney to Father Christmas. The aim of writing such letters mainly involves receiving gifts and toys. As a child, I cannot remember anything more exciting than Christmas Eve, which is when at my home Father Christmas used to deliver his gifts. Most children would get their gifts on Christmas morning, yet since my parents had made special arrangements, I would receive an earlier delivery.

Well, in the end what counts is to receive the gifts, no matter whether it is in the evening or in the morning. There are many gifts circulating in this holiday season, and since this is an astroshamanic newsletter my invitation is to welcome and enjoy the physical gifts, while also detecting and grabbing the multidimensional gifts. These are the only gifts devoid of date of expiry, those which stay with us no matter where and when we go.

I wish to express my gratitude to you for being a reader of this bloig. If you have taken part in workshops, sessions or other events in 2010 or later years, I also wish to thank you. Having had the opportunity of meeting you is one of the most luminous gifts I am happy to acknowledge at the sunset of the year. This for me is both a physical and a multidimensional gift, and I want you to be aware of it. Thank you so much!

You are always most welcome if you choose to attend further events, sessions or courses (see "Astroshamanic Events - 2011"). Also I am at your disposal if you wish simply to connect to share about your experience and whatever is relevant for you now. For this purpose you can contact me by e-mail or phone.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! May you experience your loving and radiant self throughout these festive days, and may you generously share it with others at all levels.

Franco

Drawing by Pierre Cendors

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