Today is the Winter Solstice, arguably the most powerful day of the year. It is the birthday of the
Sun – the beginning of the coming solar cycle. It is the real, cosmic Christmas. Christ as embodied
by Jesus is a Solar Force – the force of Light and Life. From this point forward – until the Summer
Solstice – the days will start to get longer and longer. The light of the Sun will thus gain ever
growing influence. It is no accident that Christmas is celebrated around this time. It fits in well with
the celestial realities.

Jesus was born in a manger. In very humble circumstances. And so it is with the Winter Solstice. It
is the darkest and coldest of times (especially in the northern hemisphere). Yet, it is precisely here
in the “darkest hour” that salvation is born. There is a strong spiritual message in this.
In the world, Christmas and New Year are celebrated at different times and are seen as separate
things. But cosmically speaking, today, the Winter Solstice, is both Christmas and New Year. It is
Christmas because it is the birth of the Solar Light. It is New Year because it is the start of the new
solar cycle – which lasts for one year.

On a deeper level, the esoteric level, the Winter Solstice is the birth of the Christ (or God)
Consciousness in every person. It starts small. But little by little, by degrees it will have ever more
influence. So we are celebrating an internal event. No longer will darkness overwhelm the
consciousness. Little by little it is receding.

So to all of you, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!