Facing the Dawn

At the Threshold of Two Worlds

“The contemplative tradition is a living tradition. Each generation is called to renew it – not by making it up from scratch, but by entering a deep and honest conversation with it, allowing it to speak into the longings and wounds of the present moment, and letting those contemporary questions reshape how the tradition lives.” Rachel Wheeler, Desert Magic

This was the greeting card I received this morning from the universe as she announced, “A new day is dawning!” During the cold, harsh winter days, the sunrises seem to be so much more brilliant, or perhaps it is simply that I am awake to see them.

“In an age of ecological crisis, systemic injustice, and deep loneliness, we need a spirituality that engages the world, not escapes it.” Rachel Wheeler, Desert Magic

As a society and a species, it feels like we are experiencing a very long, harsh winter, and it has made my morning postcards all the more meaningful to me.

We are Standing at a Threshold

I have heard many refer to this time we live in as a liminal space – the threshold between two worlds.

Here at the threshold of a new year, I feel like something is shifting. People are growing in courage, finding their voice, and making bold moves to try to engage the world in a way that shapes what is dawning. Many are tired of having their buttons pushed by media puppet masters who keep us so distracted and divided that we don’t realize we have the power to define what is on the other side of that threshold.

I feel we are slowly moving beyond political polarization and faith-rooted silos and toward some kind of realignment that allows for nuance and cultivates respectful civil discourse. Or perhaps, we are simply finding kindred spirits who dream of this new reality.

Learning to Appreciate the Clouds

What I love about sunrises is that they are far more beautiful when there are clouds in the sky, adding color, texture, shape, and a unique image with every passing day.

I know some would like there to be perfect clarity about what is emerging on the other side of the doorway, but there is beauty in the unknown. It means we have a chance to shape it, to watch it come into view, to experience the brilliant color or sudden illumination.

I hope that what is dawning is broad enough and generous enough to hold all of what each of us brings from our own lived experience without negating the experiences of others. I hope we can move from simply tolerating difference to genuinely celebrating it.

Every day, we get a guarantee from the Universe that no matter what is going on in our messed-up human communities, the light will pierce the darkness as a new day is born. This fills me with hope. Hope is the catalyst that gives us the power to lean into new possibilities.

Gathering the Gifts of the Old World

The words in our opening quote remind us that we are not “making it up from scratch” but allowing ancient truths “to speak into the longings and wounds of the present moment.”

The title of this post is drawn from a book by Margaret Edds titled We Face the Dawn. It tells the story of Virginia civil rights lawyers Oliver Hill and Spottswood Robinson, who led the charge to desegregate schools. The mantra “we face the dawn” has both a literal meaning and a spiritual one for me. Their story speaks to the longing and wounds of our present moment.

Connecting through Story

This is where we will begin our journey together, facing the dawn with a willingness to cross the threshold even when we don’t have clarity, and seeking guidance from those who came before us.

As I shared in my previous post, “Stories build connections and connections change the world.” I would love for you to share your own thoughts from the threshold in the comments.

What are the vibrant colors of a cloudy sunrise whispering to you?

Do you feel the same shifting away from polarizing narratives and a more gracious future?

What wisdom from the setting sun is important for us to carry into the dawning day?

What is giving you hope in this challenging season?

Recommended Readings

I encourage you to check out kathy escobar’s series New Ways for a New World. Her latest post, Expanding Faith, was particularly relevant to the discussion above.

“We can hold on to the things that bring life and freedom in this season and sunset some things that just don’t serve us anymore.

We can give ourselves freedom to own our beliefs and non-beliefs without defending them and give others the same gift.”

I also recommend the publication Oneing, specifically, the A Living Tradition edition. The quotes for this post were drawn from the article titled Desert Magic by Rachel Wheeler.

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