By Ellen F. Franklin, PhD
Phanes: I am Phanes your light. Sharpen the sword so that it slashes. Light the torch so that the darkness grows luminous. Jung: What am I supposed to do with your dark words? Should I act or listen? Phanes: You should stay quiet so that it comes to you. — C. G Jung, The Black Books, Volume VI
At this creative junction between the darkest day of the year and a return to light I find myself drawn back to Jung’s body of work, which offers so many keys to navigate this season. Throughout his life he explored far ranging subjects such as myth, archetypes, alchemy and religion, the numinous and luminous, as well as humanities relationship to the divine. He articulates the idea of divine service, light emerging from darkness with the potential for greater and much deeper self-awareness, health and well-being. As we sharpen our sword of self-examination and cut through the dross, darkness grows luminous, and insights filled will rich potential arise to feed our soul.
Recently, I’ve been reading The Black Books, referred to as Jung’s notebooks of transformation, his personal journals written between 1913 and 1932 that he describes as a confrontation with his soul and with the unconscious. Jung came to believe that the unconscious was a living entity to be actively engaged with, as it offers a rich opportunity through active imagination to identify and express our personal mythology and cosmology. Winter and this time of great stillness is a perfect opportunity to delve deeply and explore what we most wish to manifest.
In East Asian Medicine, winter is a time for internal work, a great stillness, to rest and gather strength and wisdom for the year ahead. Staying quiet and still, a sharpened sword by our side, illuminates what no longer serves us, so that genuine heart-based insights emerge. This is the time to create the space necessary to rebuild reserves of energy, will and courage.
“To really hear the words of wisdom one must listen to them with quietness and allow the layers of meaning to emerge slowly. In this way they can penetrate our soul with great depth of meaning. Winter gives us this still, quiet, inner meditative season.” — Debra Kaatz
Gratitude and Giving
In 2022, Acutonics will celebrate its 25th birthday, the vision that began many years ago in Madison, Wisconsin, came to fruition in Seattle, WA and continues in the mountains of Northern New Mexico and around the globe. It was a vision for planetary and cultural healing that embraces all people, animals, plants, minerals, and waters of the Earth. We are very blessed that this vision is shared by our global community of practitioners and teachers who are committed to an ethos of giving back, collaborating with one another, and ensuring that Acutonics is available to people around the globe; even those living in the most rural and underserved communities.
During this season of deep reflection, gratitude and giving I am also reminded that our goal was to create a heart-based medicine, that returned art and spirit to healing, to recognize and understand the deep interconnections between all of creation. In service to the idea that each one of us has the potential to not only connect with our hearts and to understand our soul’s purpose, but to take this knowledge, and share it to help others to engage in deep transformational work. From the founding of Acutonics our vision has been all embracing – look at the big picture and the little picture, macrocosm and microcosm. Embrace The Taoist belief a central organizing principle of the Universe that we can live in harmony with nature and the cosmos the Universe and one another. When we strive to understand the essential nature of all things, we recognize there are far more similarities than differences that connect us.
Despite the deep challenges we’ve experienced over the past year, the loss of so many cherished lives in our community, and a continued global pandemic, we have so much gratitude for each of you. In this time of increasing darkness let us stand together, to shine a very bright light with open hearts and minds so that our world will remain intact and thrive. Let us continue to honor those we have lost, take action, speak up, write, and engage in social causes. Do not be silent, for the power of sound and our voices are the greatest tools we possess.
Solstice
The winter solstice is without question a time to celebrate going deep within, the process of reverting to the root. It is a time to pause and reflect. What are the lessons we wish to carry forward, to embrace, shine a light on, learn from and let go? How do we nourish and nurture self and others to cherish each moment of our existence regardless of the obstacles that stand in our way?
As we move in harmony toward the New Year and 2022 let us open our eyes, ears, and hearts to be all that we can be, harmonious, loving, light filled beings.
Blessings of harmony, love, and light for this holiday season and the year ahead.
Ellen, Donna and Sande
Solstice Holiday Specials
21 Days of Saving, December 7 to 28, 2021
Acutonics Site Wide, Online Sale - Coupon Code 21DAYS
