Awareness Gym

Wishing you all a peaceful Christmas 🎄

Dear friend,

Light in the Midst of Darkness

At this time of the year, Christians celebrate the festivity of Christmas, a joyful event to commemorate the birth of Jesus.

For others, it is “the holidays”, a secular but culturally significant time marked by family gatherings, the giving of gifts, the sharing of food, and, ideally, a time of reflection, stillness, and peace. For many, however, (including many Christians), this is not the case. Instead of joy and peace, there is stress, mindless consumption, or deprivation, poverty, and violence.

What is the deeper meaning of Christmas?

Although we don’t know when exactly Jesus was born, it appears that the date was chosen by the early Church in order to provide some continuity with already existing traditional festivities that predate Christianity by centuries or even millennia. These festivities took place around the time of the winter solstice, the darkest, coldest, and bleakest time of the year. In ancient Rome, the date roughly coincided with the festivity of “Sol Invictus” (invincible sun). It was a celebration of the reemergence of the sun out of the darkness. Further north, there was the festivity of Yule, an ancient Germanic and Norse midwinter celebration marking the rebirth of the sun. Gradually, these merged with and became transformed into what we now know as Christmas. Jesus, born on a dark, cold night in the comfortless surroundings of a stable, became the Christ, a personification of the light. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

However, this is no longer the outer light of visual perception, but the inner light of the awakened consciousness. More often than not, this en-lightenment is born from within the darkness of human suffering and tribulation, which sometimes manifests as “the dark night of the soul”. The message of Christmas is the emergence of light out of the darkness. It is an important message for humanity, especially at this time of increasing collective suffering. Suffering is transcended when you awaken to your innermost identity as the light of consciousness, compared to which your personal identity has a somewhat dream-like quality. That is why Jesus also said: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

When you know yourself as the light of consciousness (which emanates from God as light emanates from the sun), you become a living embodiment of the meaning and message of Christmas: peace, joy, and loving kindness towards all humans and all life.

Kim and I wish you a joyous and peaceful Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Eckhart Tolle & Kim Eng

Guided by the great universal teachings you can know yourself, and your purpose, at the deepest level. visit practicalphilosopher.org for more information.

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A child doesn’t need a reason to laugh, to play, or to feel joy. That kind of presence isn’t immaturity - it’s pure wisdom.

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A course in gaining knowledge of how to live a better and more peaceful life .

Practical Philosophy School | California Discover inner wisdom & personal growth through Eastern & Western philosophies. Join our community for weekly meetings & meditation. Online classes available.

Join us tonight, Wednesday, January 15th, for Part One - Philosophy & Inner Wisdom to be held in Danville. In this Introductory course, you are offered tools to find fulfillment in your life, develop sharper attention, access greater awareness and experience a deeper feeling of happiness.

Registration is now open. https://www.practicalphilosopher.org/registration/Part-One-Wisdom-In-Person-p712037262

School of Practical Philosophy teachings and practices help you experience a new dimension to your life. Introductory talks are offered free three times year prior to each term. For more information on talks and classes in California visit practicalphilosopher.org

Learning to live with life's ups and downs is an essential skill for living a more happy and equanimous life. Join Kamyar Faron on Saturyday, January 4th for an introductory talk in San Jose to learn more about the life changing teachings of the School of Practical Philosophy. More info https://fb.me/e/2FOgs1vYM