A Season of Light

This episode is a dive into the light that illuminates our hearts and carries us to new horizons. What is it about this season that warms and awakens us to gratitude, and harmonizing with one another? And why can't we sustain it?

Do we fall short of aligning with one another because we aren't able to satisfy ourselves? Is it because we admire and put faith in others who appear rich? But in reality have insatiable appetites for power and wealth? Could this be the culprit of imbalance in our collective consciousness?

If we take time to explore our true selves. We may find there is more to us than we realized. And by focusing on the light, we are individually more powerful than we ever imagined.  It's a path to awakening our precious hearts.

To Support the production of Heart Sense please use the following Link. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1888298/support


Original Music by Will Taylor & Strings Attached
Song: Meditation 1.1
stringsattached.bandcamp.com

Sponsors:
Sedona's New Day Spa
3004 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ
sedonanewday.com
928.282.7502

Skinplicity of Sedona
Managing the Aging Process
2155 W. Hwy 89A Suite #110 Sedona, Az.
928-514-6120
www.skinplicityofsedona.com
Facebook: Skinplicity of Sedona

The Copper Heart Art for Heart Sense
Artist Catherine Stefanavage
Website:  iamcatherine.com
Email: iamcatherine16@gmail.com

Transcript

Hello, I’m your host, Riverann. And this is Heart Sense. A podcast for aligning, strengthening, and opening our hearts, to a frequency of love that heals ourselves and our planet. Thank you for being here!

As we move into winter in the western hemisphere, we embrace a season of celebration. A time when we carry hope in our hearts; that love will override the chilling darkness of humanity’s past transgressions. Leading us into a new age of human evolution that changes everything.

Hal Borland once said, “No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn.” This episode honors the light that illuminates our hearts and carries us to new horizons, just as Moses led the Israelites out of darkness. If we remember, there is always light after a storm, we emerge with hope for new beginnings. While some analogies reference religious history, this episode does not intend to convey a religious message.

The word light invokes beautiful connotations and often represents hope, recovery, renewal, and a path out of darkness. It has also been said that hope is stronger than fear.

It’s no surprise that both Christianity and the Jewish faith have deep-rooted rituals in light. Festivals of light throughout the world invoke a re-opening of the heart through faith in a Higher Power. 

In the Jewish faith, Hanukkah's menorah lighting symbolizes a renewed devotion to God. This ritual represents the recovery of Jerusalem and a re-dedication of the Second Temple and Jewish identity. History recounts a miracle during the Temple's purification, when the Israelite sons lit lamps with a holy olive oil blessed by the High Priest. There was only one bowl of this oil. And it was supposed to last for one night. However, God delivered a blessing, and the lamps burned for eight days… 

In Christianity, the Christmas holiday heralds a blessing from God with the birth of Jesus. Three Wise Men followed a glorious star, lighting the sky to a manger where angels stood watch over a baby. They called him Jesus, the Son of God. Also known as the "Light of the World.” 

These two holidays represent light cleansing darkness from the human experience. With celebrations in 170 countries across the globe, it becomes clear there is something symbolic and reverent about light. It appears to play an intermediary role, affecting our hearts, and connecting us with a Higher Power.

Considering what's happening in the world each day. Evidence suggests that light frequently follows periods of intense darkness. Deceit, hypocrisy, and horrific cruelty may cause it to arise. Serving as a moment of divine intervention, unveiling the need for human compassion and a moral compass.

For those who have witnessed the light’s arrival after a storm — externally or internally within themselves. Light brings balance and stability, as well as vision for a change. However, it requires careful observation to see it in action in our modern world. 

Willfully withdrawing from life breeds apathy, which frequently fuels escalating anger and turmoil. Our challenge today is to unveil a new vision that is not propelled by fear or greed. To create touchstones in our hearts to calm the chaos. 

When you see homelessness, starving children, war zones, or neglected animals. Do you feel pain? Or do you look away and change the channel? Do you sometimes find yourself afraid to embrace the feelings of your heart and respond to the suffering? And if you respond, is it temporary?

My question is, why have we allowed such indifference to occupy so much space within our societies? Or admired the rich and privileged with insatiable appetites, and allowed them to influence our hearts and minds. Could these habits be causing an imbalance in the collective consciousness? 

What is it about this annual season of light that warms the heart? And, once awakened, why don’t its effects last the entire year? Millions of people thinking alike may be the source of this effect. Because harmonized energy, whether mental or physical, yields remarkably powerful results. 

Herds and prides of animals are less vulnerable than one. Trees have an underground network that supports the entire forest. Multiple voices make a choir of angelic sounds. And humanity has a connective thread of consciousness that either supports the heart or causes its demise. 

I’ve witnessed gifted individuals squander their potential because of emotional trauma. And I've witnessed people with minimal resources make significant life progress. Their hearts found well-being again once they made compassion for themselves or others,—a priority.

We can often see this with homeless people sharing and sheltering homeless animals. The love we witness in these interactions should be a model for humanity’s recovery. Because if you look closely enough and open your heart to see it, there is light in those relationships. But sadly, we’re taught only to pity them or look away.

It’s during the season of light that so many come together and recognize their obligations to one another. Which we perceive as a temporary uplifting for those who don’t have enough. But I feel these underprivileged are really our teachers. Their souls humbly agreed before coming into this world to be a wake up call for humanity’s liberation.  

The issue isn't overpopulation; we have enough resources to feed and provide for everyone's needs. The truth is elections, wars, weapons, and businesses thriving on excess, consume billions and trillions of dollars. 

Do we fall short because we can’t satisfy ourselves? The moment we fully commit to remembering our greatest treasure is a life lived with an open heart. We receive the vision to balance our lives. 

This podcast focuses on opening, aligning, and strengthening the heart. I followed the calling of a Higher Power. My guidance was to assist in the renewal of the one thing every life shares — a heart. To reveal the truth behind our division, are hearts wounded and closed off by an unsupportive world. 

Everyone has known darkness in some form. However, most have also at some point in our lives; felt enveloped by the light which activates gratitude. Isn’t this why we respond to those in need? Because we’re grateful? And giving brings joy to our hearts and makes us feel better about ourselves? 

This is reflective of the light in our true nature. A light that reveals the path to awakening. Let’s pledge to banish the darkness by shining brightly as our true selves every day. Our combined efforts can create an unstoppable wave of positive change. The kind that creates peace in our hearts and our world.

There’s an old American Christmas film from 1946 by Frank Capra called, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” If you’ve never seen it, I recommend watching it. And if you have, watch it again. We all have a powerful influence on our world. It begins with one person and affects a hundred more. You may never know how much impact you’ve made. However this film will validate your life’s journey.

As 2025 begins, may our love guide us. Not only during the holiday season, when our hearts are elevated by rituals that endorse compassionate giving. But every time we encounter a life needing an embrace of the heart. Let this serve as a call to action for all beings—human, animal, and Mother Earth. 

By recognizing our shared responsibility, we regain control over the forces that have undermined our true value. We rediscover the light within each of us, reclaiming our dignity, reigniting compassion, and focusing our energy in extraordinary ways. If you desire a beautiful life? Know the light you are destined to be. And refuse to allow anyone to dim it! 

Thanks to Will Taylor for providing the music for this episode with his original composition Meditation 1.1  You can find a link to Will’s music and life’s work in the show notes and online by going to: stringsattached.bandcamp.com

OUTRO

If this episode has brought you enjoyment or inspiration, please do two things for me. Share this podcast with those you love and check out the generous sponsors and musicians supporting Heart Sense… I’ve hand-picked each of them for their professional services, products, integrity, and conscious alignment to joy, healing, and well-being. And then, please let them know you heard about them on Heart Sense! 

Today’s Sponsor funding is provided by Sedona New Day Spa and Skinplicity of Sedona.

Voted The Best Day Spa for the past 15 years… Sedona New Day provides an oasis of fabulous body treatments in a beautiful serene setting with gardens and a hot tub. Relaxing in their Zen courtyard real is a treat. They offer a unique menu of Desert Nature Body Treatments and specialized massages and facials like Swedish, deep tissue, aromatherapy, reiki, shiatsu, prenatal, and reflexology. This is a place to nurture and pamper yourself and the only spa in Sedona I visit. For appointments, call 928.282.7502 or go to their website sedonanewdayspa.com

Maintaining our skin’s beauty can be relatively painless with new RF skin tightening, laser light therapy, and micro-channeling technologies. Skinplicity offers non-invasive, effective alternatives for rejuvenating the body without invasive surgery. It’s also less expensive! Choose from a selection of facial treatments, skin tightening, hair removal, cellulite reduction, vaginal rejuvenation and more.
 
These modalities empower our bodies to manage the aging process by stimulating the production of collagen and enhancing circulation. I’ve experienced some of these treatments and they’re fabulous. For more information, visit: skinplicityofsedona.com or call 928-514-6120. 

As always, I appreciate your time and support. I also welcome your reviews and ratings on Apple podcasts or whatever platform you listen to. If you’d like to become a sponsor, partner, donate to the production of Heart Sense, or share your feedback or story with me, I’d love to hear from you! Email me at: ourheartsense2@gmail.com I promise if you take the time to email me, I will respond.

It’s my hope, that these episodes bring more light to your heart, more vision to your life, and facilitate more healing in the world.                                                 

This is Riverann. Thanks for listening…