There was a full moon this year on Christmas Eve, a relatively rare event that last took place 38 years ago. The full moon occurs, of course, when the entire surface reflects the light of the sun back to the earth. As the moon makes its monthly revolution around the earth, it passes through all its various phases, from the new moon when no light is reflected to a half moon and then, finally, the full moon. In astrology, the moon is associated with our emotions. Interestingly, the moon is dark when it is between the earth and the sun, just as our emotions are dark when they get between us and the light.
Rising Sun, Setting Moon by Nayaswami Jyotish
Paramhansa Yogananda would often say, “The moon gives more light than all the stars.” This is an important spiritual image, the esoteric meaning of which is that while the moon (a spiritual master) creates no light of its own, and reflects only the light of the sun (God), it still fills our night with more light than all the stars (egos). Kamala Silva, a great disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, recognized that he was a perfect reflection of the Divine and entitled her book about him The Flawless Mirror.
On Christmas Eve Yulia, a young woman from Moscow staying at The Expanding Light, arose in the middle of the night to walk under the full moon. The night was cold, below freezing, and as she walked she noticed that the ground seemed to be sparkling. The moon was reflecting points of light onto the frozen dew on the dead leaves covering the ground. She took a remarkable video of the thousands of sparkling points of light, which we are delighted (the wrong word, perhaps, even for a punster) to share with you below.
This, too, has a deeper spiritual significance. Beauty and light are everywhere—we need only to look for them. One could hardly think of a better poetic image for despair than “dead leaves in the dark hours of a frozen night.” And yet, when seen properly it is filled with light and wonder. Life, too, even in its darkest moments, is filled with God’s light. In order to see it, we need simply to still our emotions and open our eyes. And when we see God’s light, we can mirror it to others.
Today is New Years Day, 2016. This year, especially, our fragile world needs more sources of light. No darkness can endure where the sun and moon shine. Amidst all of our resolutions for 2016, let us also resolve to be more perfect reflections of God’s light and beauty. Resolve this year to become a flawless mirror or, at least, a full moon.
In God’s light,
Nayaswami Jyotish