“What if Christmas isn’t a season but a journey?”
This year we will take time off again to journey from the Holy Night all the way to Epiphany in a contemplative spirit, guided by our heart’s longing and the many wise women and men before us. This year we will, for the first time, have our baby girl with us on this journey. Thus we gladly invite you to come with us on this contemplative online journey, and to open your eyes and hearts like a child on Christmas Eve to experience the Divine presence among us.
If you feel Christmas always comes faster than expected; if you are not ready for the “season;” or if the Christmas story does not reach you anymore in the midst of toxic news and the buzz to get things done before the end of the year; or if your heart is heavy and burdened and rather irritated by Christmas Schmaltz; or if you are simply longing for some contemplative days between the years, we would like to invite you to a dwelling place, right where you are.
This contemplative online journey invites you to walk together with us towards the heart of the 12 days of Christmas, to take a break from the hustle and bustle, to breathe, and to wonder, guided and sustained by wise women and men (including Mary, Joseph, Meister Eckhart, Hildegard, Rumi, Bonhoeffer, Kierkegaard and others), and the eyes of a baby child, who will lead us along.
We do not follow much of the tradition of the 12 Christmas days, but rather explore every year anew what Christmas might mean to each of us, where we are on our journeys of life, and how these 12 days might help us to create a breathing space between Christmas Day and Epiphany, to replenish us for the new journeys ahead.
Every day we will provide a brief online reflection followed by a practice you might find time for. The reflection will help set the stage, and the practice will help you construct your own interior journey through the days.
Sustained by poems, stories and spiritual practices we will walk toward the threshold of the New Year where old and new meet. We will then guide you into a day of reflection at the end of the year. From there we walk together towards the light of Epiphany.
You are invited to take some time every day to walk through our virtual Christmas door to find some poetry, reflections, images, and practices to lead you through the 12 days of Christmas. You can visit our blog daily or just enroll to receive the daily reflection right in your inbox each of the twelve days. (Links will follow)
However you choose, we welcome you on this journey. We are looking forward to journeying with you through this sacred time.
Almut & Chuck & baby Hannah
