Hello Reader,

In December, darkness reaches its deepest as the year rests into stillness. From that pause, the first glimmer of returning light is born. The earth rests beneath its winter cloak; yet under that surface, the quiet pulse of renewal begins to stir. This is the month of the Winter Solstice – the turning point of the year – when we are reminded that even in the longest night, light is never truly lost.

This season invites us to trust the unseen. The light's return begins not with brightness, but with the faint promise of dawn. In this deep, quiet darkness, listen for renewal before it arrives. Spirit asks us to be patient, to rest and reflect, and to honor the mystery of beginnings that are forming in silence.

We are asked to nurture hope without forcing how it might emerge – to honor the sacred mystery of beginnings that are not yet visible.

As we gather around in our circles of community, we feed that spark with warmth, kindness, and intention. The light we tend inside becomes the light we offer to the world. In this quiet season, may we listen deeply, breathe slowly, and remember that renewal always begins in the dark.

This season calls us to consider:

• What small spark of light is returning in me right now?
• How can I honor both the darkness and the dawn in my own life?
• What intentions do I wish to carry into the new year, rooted in rest and renewal?

Personal Evolution Blog Highlights 2025

Since moving in mid-November 2024 from its previous host of more than a decade, The Journey of Personal Evolution blog is completing its first year since moving to Substack. This week, I posted the 50th article of the year, "Preparing for Everything," an observation about the prevalence of hypervigilance, its current impact on our communities, and what we as beings of heart and spiritu can do to address it.

These are the most popular articles of this past year:

• ​Reflection in the Rhythm of Life ~ "You don’t ask what a dance means, you enjoy it. You don’t ask what the world means, you enjoy it. You don't ask what life means, you live it."
• ​Affinity, Safety, and Trust ~ "More reflections from half a century in a loving, intimate relationship, regarding the essential qualities that create and nurture healthy, alive relationships over time."
• ​Freedom: A Personal Journey ~ "The search for Freedom will expose all the things you are attached to. It will show you, too, how difficult it can be to let go of them."
• ​Long Silences ~ "There is an argument to be made that silence is a key requirement in healthy, alive, and authentic relationships. A core element is how safe each partner feels in the relationship."
• ​Schrödinger's Tiger ~ "Feeling Safe: The only way to know if the Tiger is in the room or not is to take a chance, open your eyes, and see for yourself."

Thank you for being a caring and valued part of my journey. Let's move forward together.

With appreciation and respect, Reader. I hope to connect with you soon.

Gerry

Gerry C Starnes, M.Ed.
​Author, Teacher, Personal Development Guide
​The Shamanic Passages Institute​
​The Journey of Personal Evolution​

PS: If you live in the Austin, Texas area, consider connecting with the Shamanic Community of Austin. They offer regular shamanic journey circles and other events.

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