So beautiful, Christine! I love: “When you don’t feel up to participating in the hoopla surrounding the holidays, it can be hard to find a place for yourself amongst the yuletide revelry. “ wow!
Thinking about Christmas more as birthing rather than a birthday party helps us to lean into the pain it also brings. Thank you for offering such a beautiful place for it 🥰
PS: Hildegard of Bingen recommends spiced wine as a warm drink.
Thank you, Christine. I think the whole 12 Days of Christmas Journey we are doing is in many ways facilitating a birthing process. It reminds me to the midwifery analogy in philosophy and therapy. Thus also the tears we spoke about your beautiful case stories provoke. And yes, spiced wine helps. With chanting and birthing and pain :-)
Such a hard time for so many! I love the resources you share here. My church offers a Blue Christmas service that is much beloved.
Thanks for reading and for all you do to support your congregants in this time. I hope that after this busy week you are getting a much needed break.
It's definitely not as long as my kids' break from school, but it's enough to get some rest :)
Mine too. Their break is so long this year! 🤣
So beautiful, Christine! I love: “When you don’t feel up to participating in the hoopla surrounding the holidays, it can be hard to find a place for yourself amongst the yuletide revelry. “ wow!
Thinking about Christmas more as birthing rather than a birthday party helps us to lean into the pain it also brings. Thank you for offering such a beautiful place for it 🥰
PS: Hildegard of Bingen recommends spiced wine as a warm drink.
Oooh I never thought of it as a birthing before and the pain there, what a great reframe. And spiced wine sounds heavenly!
Thank you, Christine. I think the whole 12 Days of Christmas Journey we are doing is in many ways facilitating a birthing process. It reminds me to the midwifery analogy in philosophy and therapy. Thus also the tears we spoke about your beautiful case stories provoke. And yes, spiced wine helps. With chanting and birthing and pain :-)
I was not aware of the Longest Night and intend to incorporate this into my own grieving rituals and share with others. Thank you for this!
I hope it will be helpful for you and your clients!
What a wonderful blessing this post is and thank you for the kind words!