It’s a Great Day to Die!
A New Year’s Celebration
Wow, what a crazy thing to say on the first day of the new year!
Yes, it is—especially since this famous cry of freedom was
uttered by Crazy Horse, the Sioux chief who defeated Custer at
the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Why talk about death at the time of year when people are most
focused on eternal life? What better time! Isn’t this season of
rebirth the best time to celebrate a wake for the dead things
inour life-the beliefs and patterns that no longer serve us?
Near the end of the month of December we endure the shortest,
darkest day of the year—the day with the least light shining on
our lives. And it’s also the month of the return of the light,
as days get longer and brighter, and the life-giving sun shines
stronger each day. It’s a great time to die to old limitations
and outmoded ways of thinking.
Death is Not What We Think It Is
The word used for “death” in the Aramaic tongue-the language of
Jesus and the Bible-literally translated means “not here,
present elsewhere.” In most ancient and native cultures, the
border between life and death is highly permeable. This natural
transition is not feared, but rather welcomed as an opportunity
to liberate oneself from endless unconscious cycles of repeating
patterns.
Death-the inevitable ending of each life event-is actually
something that we experience in every moment of our lives.
Transitions from life-to-life, as well as from moment-to-moment,
are opportunities to renew our lives with fresh, authentic
passion, excitement and vitality. In facing the truth of death
directly, we have the opportunity to come fully into life. “Die
to the moment!” counsels St. John of the Cross.
Death is a Sacred Rite of