Do The Seasons Affect You Spiritually?

[dauntingknight]

I don't notice it.

[Moosey]

In the Summer. When we're in Ordinary time I get stationary and, dare I say it, bored.

[Aloysius]

much of this is the exact reason why the liturgical cycle is the way it is. Christmas is meant to come in the midst of the deep dark season of Winter, to lift us out of the doom that winter can drag us into, and then the light gradually gets more and more.... and Easter is supposed to signify the beginning of a long period of joy in the resurrection.

in Advent, it is like the time before Christ; and so it is in the cold winter weather when we feel our lowest.
Christmas drags us up out of that with the small speckle of light as Christ came into the world as a tiny infant, bringing joy to those who knew but the world still had a darkness over it in general... so we lift up more.
lent is the tail end of winter as spring is just trying to emerge, the life, passion and death of Our Lord is remembered here... as in His work there the whole world struggled to get out just as spring struggles to get out for us.
By Easter, spring is upon us and a spirit of resurrection and new life comes, and that light lasts all the way through the summer months until it dims into fall and the cycle begins again.

the emotional/spiritual effects of the seasons are expressed by our liturgy, so you're definitely not alone in feeling them... it's been experienced this way for a couple millenia by now (and, even to some extent, in old pagan times the seasons were reflected the same way, just without the Christian meaning applied)

[Moosey]

I can see what you mean about the cycles.

But this I don't agree with personally.
[quote]Christmas is meant to come in the midst of the deep dark season of Winter, to lift us out of the doom that winter can drag us into...[/quote]
I find Winter to be my best time for some reason. I only like summer when it isn't oppressively hot. I get back into my prayer life with much more vigor when I'm stuck inside and the proper of the season changes.

I suppose I'm abnormal in that way, so I can't speak for everyone *shrugs*

[rachael]

not me. i'm always

[Aloysius]

I think that might have a bit to do with modern living conditions, if you find yourself not dragged down at all during the winter months. remember that when the liturgical cycle was formed, the only heat for a house was the fireplace... it was nearly impossible to escape a certain degree of drudgery in winter, whereas nowadays we can sit inside warm cozy buildings looking out windows at the beautiful snow... and can drive around in nice toasty cars through an amazing winter wonderland to anywhere we need to go in the midst of freezing temperatures.

also, if you live in an extremely warm climate year round, it also might not apply.

even if you don't personally feel it, it's interesting to note the connection between the liturgical cycle and the natural world in the seasons, if not by temperature alone then at least by the amount of light in a day. six months before Christmas is St. John's Day (one of only three biblical people whose birthdays we celebrate) on June 24th, and as St. John said "that He may increase and I may decrease", from that day forward (well, it starts on June 21st but who's counting?) there is gradually less and less light in the day, the darkness of pre-Christian times, until Christmas comes and the light gradually begins to increase again from the tiny spec as Christ was a babe on Christmas into the longest days of the year again.

[Moosey]

[quote]I think that might have a bit to do with modern living conditions, if you find yourself not dragged down at all during the winter months. remember that when the liturgical cycle was formed, the only heat for a house was the fireplace... it was nearly impossible to escape a certain degree of drudgery in winter, whereas nowadays we can sit inside warm cozy buildings looking out windows at the beautiful snow... and can drive around in nice toasty cars through an amazing winter wonderland to anywhere we need to go in the midst of freezing temperatures.[/quote]
Oh yeah, well I suppose so. You would be surprised how much warmth can come from a fireplace in a small house. They were very efficient for their time.

Toasty car eh? How about cumbersome van with non-working heat or AC? Ah well, at least the ride to church is short. The air from the vents usually starts to warm up when we're pulling into the church parking lot.

[quote]also, if you live in an extremely warm climate year round, it also might not apply[/quote]
I live in Maine. My eyelashes froze once

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Moosey' post='1820619' date='Mar 30 2009, 05:52 PM']I find Winter to be my best time for some reason. I only like summer when it isn't [i]oppressively hot.[/i][/quote]
[quote name='Moosey' post='1820619' date='Mar 30 2009, 05:52 PM']Group: Church Militant
Posts: 4,827
Joined: 21-May 04
From: [size=6][b]Maine[/b][/size][/quote]

[Moosey]

It's neither cold nor hot year round in Maine. My point was that it can get oppressively hot but is not so year round and vice versa. Capisce?

[rachael]

[quote name='Moosey' post='1821262' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:52 PM']It's neither cold nor hot year round in Maine. My point was that it can get oppressively hot but is not so year round and vice versa. Capisce?[/quote]
what's hot to you, like 75 degrees?

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Moosey' post='1821157' date='Mar 31 2009, 03:44 PM']Oh yeah, well I suppose so. You would be surprised how much warmth can come from a fireplace in a small house. They were very efficient for their time.

Toasty car eh? How about cumbersome van with non-working heat or AC? Ah well, at least the ride to church is short. The air from the vents usually starts to warm up when we're pulling into the church parking lot.


I live in Maine. My eyelashes froze once [/quote]
Ever had frostbite walking from your car to your house/apartment?

[Moosey]

[quote name='rachael' post='1821719' date='Apr 1 2009, 09:35 AM']what's hot t[i][/i]o yo[i][/i]u, like 75 degrees? [/quote]
Th[i][/i]at's n[i][/i]ot h[i][/i]ot, th[i][/i]at's sti[i][/i]fling

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1821720' date='Apr 1 2009, 09:38 AM']Ev[i][/i]er h[i][/i]ad fro[i][/i]stbite wal[i][/i]king fr[i][/i]om yo[i][/i]ur c[i][/i]ar t[i][/i]o yo[i][/i]ur hou[i][/i]se/apar[i][/i]tment? [/quote]
N[i][/i]o. Wh[i][/i]ere th[i][/i]e hec[i][/i]k d[i][/i]o yo[i][/i]u li[i][/i]ve? Th[i][/i]e Ar[i][/i]ctic C[i][/i]ircle?

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Moosey' post='1822250' date='Apr 1 2009, 04:18 PM']N[i][/i]o. Wh[i][/i]ere th[i][/i]e hec[i][/i]k d[i][/i]o yo[i][/i]u li[i][/i]ve? Th[i][/i]e Ar[i][/i]ctic C[i][/i]ircle?[/quote]
W[i][/i]e l[i][/i]ive i[i][/i]n G[i][/i]od's c[i][/i]ountry.

[homeschoolmom]

Amen, sister.....

[Moosey]

O[i][/i]h, s[i][/i]o do[i][/i]es th[i][/i]at me[i][/i]an I li[i][/i]ve i[i][/i]n hea[i][/i]then cou[i][/i]ntry?