Chanukah 2019
Stretching the heart’s bow…
I love Chanukah, and I love celebrating Chanukah in the winter. Yes, this is coming from an Australian girl who once worshipped the summer and never imagined she could survive New York City from January to March.
But there is something about the obvious contrast between lightness and darkness, between kindling a flame and the outside cold, that makes this festival and its timing so tangibly joyful and meaningful. (My southern hemisphere people reading this in your swimming costumes / bathing suits, bear with me.)
Chanukah is inextricably linked to the Hebrew month we find ourselves in - Kislev. Seasonally, we are inclined to withdraw. The winter months are an essential time for hibernation, reflection and pause.
But interestingly enough. Chanukah comes along right at the winter solstice and asks us amidst the long, dark nights to rise up, place our trust in an outcome we cannot yet see and shine our lights outwardly. It’s a necessary contradiction - turning inwards and yet rising up, exploring our shadows and conserving energy, yet being willing to illuminate, all at the same time. And so we do this dance, between introspection and expression, needing to surrender to both states of being.
The astrological symbol of Kislev is a drawn bow. I recently read a prompt about Kislev which conjured the most beautiful image in my mind - “How far can we stretch our heart’s bow?”. Just like the archer who trusts that the further back he pulls his arrow, the more powerfully it will advance, we too are asked to have faith that any darkness we encounter has the potential to evolve into an equal and opposite outcome. The more deeply we allow ourselves to feel into this time, the more honest and vulnerable we are willing to be, the higher we will reach as a result. While we hibernate and journal and peel back layers. we project our prayers and intentions heavenward and into the future as though they are the arrows of our hearts bow. The catch is that we cannot yet see the result. In the “night” of the yearly cycle, we have to trust that the seeds we send off will land and will flower in their perfect time.
Amidst this work, we are gifted eight days to tap into the miraculous energy of a holiday whose magic we believe still exists for us to harness today.
We are told to put the Chanukiah in our windows, radiating outwardly specifically for others to see. As if amidst this collective annual descent, it is our very responsibility to each rise up and mirror light to one another. With these flames intended for public consumption, not only do we remind one another of the innate light we all possess, but through the very act of revealing our own bright essence, we give others the courage to do the same.
So how does the miracle of Chanukah manifest for us today?
Maybe the miracle is that we begin to trust an outcome that we cannot yet see. Perhaps we have the challenging conversation, pick up the book, or prepare to look honestly within, shooting arrows of healing and growth into the future. The miracle could be that we are reminded of our own resilience and ability to defy the odds like the cup of oil that lasted for seven days more than it should have. Maybe we feel inspired and courageous enough to finally step into a new role we have been dancing on the edge of. Maybe it is that we realize our greatest success comes when we are all recognizing one another’s glow, rather than focusing solely on our own. Maybe we will grasp that the light we are envious of in another, is just a reflection of our own potential. Or we will deeply understand that the most precious things in life - like love, light and wisdom - grow when they are shared. Maybe the illumination of our Chanukah lights will reach exactly the person who needs to be uplifted by them….
Chanukah is a time of joy, beautiful celebration and gathering. In the food, the stories, the dreidel games and the gift giving, there lies so much essential wisdom. It feels magical because it is. This festival comes to remind us that we are all powerfully illuminated creatures, and that the lights we see in each other are a reflection of our own. And as we say, it is in the darkness that we have the power to shine most brightly.
May we each experience our own transformative miracles in exactly the way we need them. And may the Chanukah lights we kindle bring Divine light wherever it is needed.
Chag Chanukah sameach.
And love,
Micaela
Tips to make this a meaningful Chanukah
Gather with people you love. Tell them about the light you recognize in each of them.
Focus on what feeds your inner light and spend some time doing just that.
Light the Chanukkiah; Spend time observing the flickering flames.
Support an organization you believe is working hard to alleviate darkness and separation in the world.
Educate yourself about a global issue you’ve been meaning to learn more about.
Contribute locally - spend time at a soup kitchen, donate to a toy or clothes drive in your city, look strangers in the eye and smile amidst the seasonal chaos.
Learn more about the meaning of Chanukah and it’s deep messaging.
Eat donuts, latkes and chocolate gelt, play the dreidel game, listen to chanukah songs - Have fun with the holiday and find the rituals that resonate with you.