December 1, 2025
Foreword
December in the Netherlands is a month of lights in the streets, of stories about birth and hope. Christmas here is celebrated from a Christian bedding, in which the child Jesus in the manger symbolizes new beginnings and trust. Yet behind those Christmas lights I also recognize another light: the Eastern jyoti, our own inner flame that never goes out.
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Where Christianity speaks of forgiveness, I hear in Yoga the gentle word kṣamā: patience and forgiveness, an invitation to release what is heavy and to make space again for trust.
Where the Christmas tree shines in living rooms, I see the little flames of arati offered daily in temples along the Ganges.
Where the Christmas story reminds us of a birth in simplicity, the Yoga tradition reminds us of śraddhā: trust in the path, the Guru, and the own heart.
Thus this month becomes for me a bridge: between Bethlehem and the Ganges, between Christmas carol and mantra, between the light outside and the light within us. It is a bedding in which I feel my own esoteric lineage resonate, and in which I invite people to see both traditions as mirrors.
Personal Bedding
When I light a candle in December, I whisper a mantra. The small flame then carries two worlds: the Christian story of hope and the dharmic realization that light is our true nature. In that interplay I find forgiveness for myself, trust in my path, and a quiet joy greater than any single tradition.
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Afterword and Invitation
I invite you this month not only to celebrate Christmas, but also to honor your own inner light. Light a candle, sing a mantra or say a prayer, or take a moment of meditation with the theme of forgiveness. Let December be a ritual in which light, trust, and forgiveness come together — a bedding where East and West recognize each other.
I wish you a very fine and joyful December month. Warm greetings from me, and may the blessing of the light shine upon you… Kamala
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Reflection Questions
Where do you recognize the light within yourself, and how do you let it shine in December?
Which old burden may you forgive and release this month?
What does trust mean to you: in yourself, in others, or in the greater whole?
How can you build a bridge between your own tradition and that of another?
Meditation
Sit quietly and close your eyes. Feel how your breath gently flows in and out. Imagine a small light burning in your heart. With every inhalation this light grows, with every exhalation it radiates outward. Let this light fill you with trust, and let it reach others with forgiveness. Remain for a few moments in this silent light.
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