Sunshine Challenge - Day Six - Amethyst

[smallhobbit]

What can I say about Amethyst?  One of the associations mentioned is that of spirituality and that's the one I shall pick up on.  In the Church of England tradition (and I assume the Roman Catholic one, since the Anglicans simply continued with the parts they were happy with and just jettisoned the other - something religious leaders have continued to do to this day: taking the bits which fitted their own viewpoint) there are three main colours for the altar cloth (the tablecloth put over the altar), namely green, white and purple.  White is for major feasts (Christmas and Easter), purple for Advent and Lent (which probably have correct terms, I'm not interested so never remember) and green is for what is termed 'ordinary time', which just means all the rest.  There's red as well but that's only a few Sundays.

Advent and Lent are times for reflection.  I know Lent has the tradition of giving things up, but that only makes sense if there's a reason for doing so.  Yes, I do try to restrict some of my online time, cutting back on scrolling and unsubscribing from various email lists, which does have some personal benefit.  And it prompts me to eat less biscuits/cake, or at least think about it, which again is no bad thing.  Advent has a tendency to be swallowed up in preparation for Christmas, and there are the delights of Advent calendars.  I always treat myself to a Jacquie Lawson Advent calendar, which provides a little drop of fun in what can get to be quite a fraught time.  And the online calendar the Open University provides has introduced me to some free short courses I would never have thought of otherwise, and is therefore a Good Thing as Pooh Bear would say, continuing to broaden my horizons.

Lent has less attractions.  There is as mentioned the 'giving up', but for me it provides the opportunity to think a bit more.  Again there can be the tendency to look at one's failings (what might have been termed sins), however for me it provides something more positive.  A chance to look back and decide that an activity has run its course, and it's time to move onto something new.  Possibly a shift in direction, not so much a complete about face, but a small change, due to circumstances changing.  And 40 days is a long time, so no need for quick decisions with equally quick regrets.  And the opportunity to try something, without any major commitment.  I've been surprised at how I've begun Lent with vague thoughts and ideas and finished with some positive concrete outcomes.

Comments

[dr_zook]

And 40 days is a long time, so no need for quick decisions with equally quick regrets. And the opportunity to try something, without any major commitment.

I really like this laid-back attitude towards your Lent goals. :)

[smallhobbit]

Thank you. I've found forcing myself is rarely successful but that taking things slowly means that I'm much more likely to achieve my goal.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Nice!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you.

[tellshannon815]

I think with Lent I got to the point of giving up on giving up things! This year I tried to cut back on spending on craft stuff, but then I realised that I could actually do more good by spending because I was buying patterns from Ukrainian sellers.

[smallhobbit]

One year when the kids were young I did suggest I give them up...

I think that's a very important point - that we consider the positives of how we can help, rather than just the negatives of not doing something.

[silveradept]

As someone raised in the Roman Catholic tradition, the two purple cloth times, Advent and Lent, are usually explained to us as times of anticipation, for the miracle of the birth that sets in motion the story that eventually ends with the other miracle, the one of death. (Noth life and death are intertwined in these miracles, for the one whose birth is heralded is born to die a sacrifice, and the death of the sacrifice is what makes possible the promise of everlasting life.)

I do appreciate the idea of using the Lenten reflection on the question of what things may also need to be wound down or allowed to die in our own lives, using the entire time and significant thought about it. It seems very appropriate for the part of the story that is told during that time.

[smallhobbit]

I can understand Advent and Lent as times of anticipation - we also sometimes think of them as times of preparation, which ties in with the idea of anticipation. I shall certainly aim to remember this as we reach Advent. I use an Ignatian online retreat for my spiritual reflections during those two times, and this feeds into my reflections on where I am going.

[silveradept]

I think the words on the lectern for the first two weeks of Advent, when I was younger and didn't have as much choice about whether to attend, were "anticipation" (first week) and "preparation" (second week), so at least the church I went to as a child would agree with you about preparation being one of the key words to use.

[bemused_writer]

This was an interesting look at the tradition; I didn't know that about the colors. It sounds like these are excellent times for reflection and I've always thought Advent calendars seemed like fun.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you. I find that having a time which encourages reflection is a good spur to actually doing so. Advent calendars are fun - a little 'me' time in a busy day.