Happy Solstice - one with a punch

Solstice, Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse. An incredible time to work with the energy of the earth to set intentions for next year. What do you want to clear and make way for new growth next year?

According to Grove Harris: "Winter Solstice, Dec. 21, 2010 packs a celestial punch with a full moon and a full lunar eclipse, visible in the Americas if we're lucky enough to have a clear sky and energetic enough to be up. The eclipse will be visible after midnight EST, reaching its maximum at 3:15 a.m.

The last winter solstice eclipse was in 1638, and this one will be topped off by the Ursid meteor shower. Even city lights won't block out all this action."

In New England, winter solstice marks the first day of winter and the beginning of the return of the sun. While the cold deepens, the lengthening days show a welcome turning towards spring's renewal. This gives a message of hope: frozen ground, relentless cold and the darkest season will not last forever...."...preserving hope is one role of religion -- to help people negotiate how to remain hopeful despite adversity and to live in the realm of possibility rather than in despair, no matter how warranted. The winter solstice models this on a celestial level. No problem between science and religion here. When it's darkest, the light begins to return. And this year, the full lunar eclipse reinforces that message. Light and dark are intimately interconnected.

"Where can you find hope when it's the darkest?