Contemplative Inquiry

Monday 29th December. It is  a normal working day here, in this period between the Christmas holiday and the new year. It is still dark outside, at 6.30 am, and likely to remain grey after sunrise at 8.15. Indoors, our minimalist decorations still proclaim a festive season. For us, this lasts from the Winter Solstice on 26 December until the Christian Epiphany on 6 January.

I’ve been experiencing an energy of latency throughout this period. I live in a place of winter gestation. In the natural world, birth doesn’t come quite yet. In this quiet in-between moment of a conceivably nondescript day, I can’t see 2026. I do not discern its likely shape or character.

That’s OK. I find that I don’t do want to strain at foreknowledge or resort to divination. A day-at-a-time approach, being alert and ready for anything, seems best. I know I want to be more open to the pleasure in simple things. I want to look for spontaneous festive moments that don’t depend on custom or calendar. They are part of my resilience. They make it easier for me, alone or with others, to face the challenges that come. In good heart, I am bracing for 2026.