In respect for New Dream Foundation philosophy, I write my Soul Purpose articles with the intent of exploring concepts that are common within many religious practices and spiritual beliefs. I look for universal concepts to write about.
This article will be coming out just as Hanukkah begins, also known as the “Feast of Dedication,” and “Festival of Light.” It seems to me the underlying themes of this holiday are truly universal to us all.
Have you experienced a time in your life when your absolute dedication to a higher path was required in order to transcend the oppression of fear? Have you experienced perhaps a dark night of the soul, when all seemed lost, but you found the spark of a sacred fire burning within you and fed it with whatever hope and love you could gather together at the time?
I love the historical story of the menorah I have heard told during Hanukkah. Imagine having faced oppression with great conviction, even risking your life to reclaim your temple in honor of your faith. Then as you go to light the menorah (symbolizing the Light of God) you discover you only have enough sacred oil for one day of burning, rather than eight, but you light the menorah anyway. To your surprise the meager amount of oil lasts eight days.
After facing the fears that oppress you, have you ever gone to feed your inner sacred fire, thinking, I don’t have enough to give, only to discover that what you had to give was somehow enough?
During this season, the darkest season of our year, and the traditional time for the holidays of Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, many of us will be celebrating with symbols of light.
We will light candles, menorahs, bonfires, and kinaras across the globe, and some of us will put lights around our homes and businesses. In that light, we will celebrate dedication, family, love, unity, birth, miracles, hope and new life.
Isn’t it interesting how precious the light becomes to us when we are experiencing the very depths of darkness. Even the tiniest light may be a reflection of our greatest intentions—our own light the reflection of our manifestation—bursting forth from the darkness of our own becoming.
Any flame must be fed. So as we enter this season when so many spiritual traditions honor or use the flame to remind and inspire, perhaps we can ask ourselves: “With what will I feed my flame? Will I feed it with my fears, anger and pain? Or will I feed it with love, truth and trust?”
Will you be willing to find new ways to honor the light within yourself and within others? How will you choose to honor that light starting right now?
As you do, know that there is at least one person in the world, deeply grateful that you have brought forward your light to share with us all.
