The Bright Lights of the Season & the Soft Light Within: A December Reflection
Gwen Peterson 
Discover how December’s bright holiday lights and soft inner light can guide you toward calm, clarity, and gentle renewal this season.
December is a month of two kinds of light.
Everywhere we turn, the world sparkles — homes adorned with twinkling decorations, neighborhoods glowing with color, and gatherings filled with warmth and celebration. These bright lights remind us of joy, connection, and the simple magic woven through this time of year.
But beneath the shimmer, there is another light calling to us.
It’s the soft glow of early sunsets, the slow evenings of winter, and the gentle hush that settles in as the year draws to a close.
This softer light invites us inward — to listen, to rest, and to return to our own quiet center.
Both lights matter.
Both lights hold wisdom.
And both lights can guide us gently into the close of the year.
🌟 The Outer Light: Celebration, Connection & Joy
The bright holiday lights draw us outward.
They remind us of the beauty of being together — sharing meals, honoring traditions, laughing with loved ones, and remembering what it means to be part of a community.
These lights encourage forward movement and outward expression. They help us celebrate the paths we’ve walked, the experiences we’ve gathered, and the people who’ve touched our lives throughout the year.
There’s joy in this glow, and it’s meant to be received.
🕯️ The Inner Light: Quiet, Clarity & Soft Restoration
The soft light of December is different.
It doesn’t sparkle — it settles.
It’s the light that filters through a quiet morning.
The light of a candle beside you.
The light of an early evening walk.
The light of your own breath when you slow down enough to meet it.
This light helps us reflect:
✨ What did the year teach me?
✨ Where did my energy expand — and where did it thin?
✨ What wants to be carried forward?
✨ What am I ready to release?
In this softer glow, clarity can rise without force.
Your heart speaks more clearly.
Your spirit feels more spacious.
Your path becomes a little easier to sense.
💛 Letting Both Lights Guide You
December becomes a powerful month when you allow both lights to work together.
The bright lights uplift you.
The soft light restores you.
Together, they create harmony — a rhythm between celebration and stillness, between giving and receiving, between showing up for others and returning home to yourself.
Neither asks you to choose.
Both simply ask you to notice.
🌿 A Gentle Reflection Practice for December
Take a quiet moment — even two minutes — and place your hand over your heart.
Ask softly:
“Where am I shining outward — and where is my spirit asking me to turn inward?”
Let whatever rises be enough.
Choose one simple phrase to carry with you through the month:
🌙 I welcome ease.
💛 I choose softness.
✨ I receive joy.
🕯️ I’m ready to rest.
This small anchor helps you stay connected to your inner glow, even as the outer world sparkles brightly.
🕯️ Community Classroom — December 11th
Unwrap the Calm: A Holiday Season Reset Meditation
Before the season becomes too full, you’re invited into a gentle guided meditation designed to help you:
🌿 Release holiday pressure
🕊️ Soften expectations
💗 Reconnect with your inner stillness
✨ Invite peaceful warmth into your heart
All details and the registration link will be available in the box below.
This space is an offering of rest — a soft light for your season.
🌼 Final Thoughts
As December unfolds, may you receive the joy of the bright lights around you…
and the wisdom of the soft light within you.
May you celebrate fully, rest deeply, and meet the turning of the year with clarity, care, and peace.
With love and blessings,
Gwen
Founder of the Spiritual Communities Network. Teacher, guide, and devoted companion on the path of spiritual connection. Gwen supports seekers in returning to their inner wisdom and discovering community that nourishes the heart and spirit.