United in Light

Written by  Isidora Bugarski, EBC Balkans

Don’t turn on the TV! 

If it’s already on, turn it off immediately! 

Why? You might be wondering. 

Because you will see terrible things that will seem like a dreadful reality in which you live. Is that really your world? The answer to that question can be only found in your heart. 

Whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, or of any other religion, this time of year is special for everyone. Take a brief look at some of the holidays and customs around the world that happen at this time:

1. Christmas (Christianity):

Date:  December 25^th –  Roman Catholic Christmas; January; 7^th  – Orthodox Christmas  

• Significance: Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, believed to be the Son of God and the savior of humanity.
• Spiritual Focus: Christmas is a time for Christians to reflect on the profound mystery of the Incarnation, where God is believed to have taken on human form in Jesus Christ. The spiritual focus is on God’s love for humanity, the importance of humility, and the redemptive power of compassion.
•  It’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and spreading goodwill.

2. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Islam):
   • Significance: Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, while Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

• Spiritual Focus: Eid al-Fitr emphasizes spiritual purification attained through fasting during Ramadan. It’s a celebration of gratitude, compassion, and unity within the Muslim community. 
• Eid al-Fitr emphasizes gratitude, generosity, and the joy of breaking the fast sacrifice, faith, and obedience to God’s will.

3. Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism):
   • Date: October-November (varies)
   • Duration: Five days

• Significance: Celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. For Hindus, it’s also associated with the return of Lord Rama.

• Spiritual Focus: Diwali is a festival of lights symbolizing the victory of righteousness over ignorance. For Hindus, it celebrates the return of Lord Rama and the triumph of dharma. The spiritual focus is on inner illumination, dispelling darkness within oneself, and embracing higher consciousness.
•  Diwali represents inner illumination, the triumph of knowledge over ignorance, and the importance of spiritual awareness.

4. Kwanzaa (African American):
   • Date: December 26th to January 1st
   • Duration: Seven days

• Significance: Celebrates African heritage, unity, and community. Each day focuses on a different principle (Nguzo Saba) such as unity, self-determination, and creativity.

5. Hanukkah (Judaism):
   • Date: Varied (usually December)
   • Duration: Eight nights

• Significance: Commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It involves the miracle of the oil lasting eight days.

• Spiritual Focus: Hanukkah highlights the spiritual themes of faith and hope. The miracle of the oil lasting eight days is a symbol of divine intervention and the resilience of the Jewish people. The lighting of the menorah represents the enduring light of faith.
• Hanukkah highlights faith, resilience, and divine intervention in the face of adversity. The lighting of the menorah symbolizes hope.

6. Vesak (Buddhism):
   • Date: December 8th (varies)
   • Significance: Commemorates the day Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Celebrated with meditation, chanting, and acts of kindness.

• Spiritual Focus: Vesak is a time for Buddhists to reflect on the life of the Buddha and his teachings. It emphasizes the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, encouraging followers to seek enlightenment, compassion, and mindfulness in their lives.
• Vesak underscores the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. It’s a time for reflection, meditation, and acts of kindness.

7. Winter Solstice:
   • Date: Around December 21st
   • Duration: Shortest day and longest night of the year
   • Significance: Marks the astronomical beginning of winter. Celebrated by various cultures with festivals, feasts, and rituals to welcome the return of longer days.

While each holiday has its distinct spiritual focus, common threads include themes of gratitude, love, compassion, and the pursuit of higher virtues. Many involve feasting, gift-giving, and spending time with loved ones, contributing to a sense of warmth and celebration during the winter season.

The celebrations foster a sense of community, reflection, and connection with the divine or the sacred aspects of life embodying core values and virtues.

In all these celebrations, spirituality is about going beyond external rituals and traditions. It involves a personal journey toward self-awareness, moral growth, and a deepening connection with the divine or transcendent principles. Spiritual practices during these holidays often include prayer, meditation, acts of kindness, and reflection on the timeless truths and teachings associated with each tradition. Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a more profound sense of purpose, compassion, and love in the hearts of believers.

Light, compassion, mercy, gratitude, togetherness, unconditional love – these are what we all carry within ourselves. Regardless of our religion or heritage, every year at this time, we should recall the truth of the light we carry within us and realize that other people have the same light. 

So turn off the TV and ignite the spark in your heart, spread that flame selflessly all around you so that it reaches even the darkest parts where it is most needed, to awaken those people, give them hope to see that they too possess the power within themselves that connects us and makes us human.