12 Living Lights of Christmas

Advent and Christmas is a time for telling the truth—the truth of our weariness and our anxiety, yes, but also the truth of relentless generosity. The entire season of Advent is about something on the horizon coming, something we’ve never seen before. It is a season of asking “what is possible?” An invitation to begin to grasp what we have missed. The invitation is to STAY. SIT. LINGER, TARRY. PONDER., WAIT. BEHOLD. WONDER.

There is always plenty of time for running, rushing, worrying and pushing. Haven’t we seen enough of that, playing it out with anger, violence, injustice, separation, death, and so much more? Now we’ve reached the point where the waiting time for Christmas is over, and what we’ve been waiting for matters.

How do we spend our time waiting

A powerful scripture reminds me of how we spend our time waiting. Matthew 11:1-11 takes place when John the Baptist is in prison, waiting, but asking he’s also questions about what he’s been waiting for. This is a gospel that confronts us with the need to make a choice about what we are waiting for, and how we spend our time waiting. John sits in prison asking “What is our waiting about,” and I would ask the same question. What is our waiting about, what is it that is longing to be birthed, what is arriving in our world?

John yells as the peasants and the kings that the world cannot continue as it has been. We must think and live differently and we must see life differently. But in prison, John is also growing weary from trying, and feeling disheartened by failure, surely depressed, maybe even struggling with his own faith, so he sends a messenger to plead with Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come or shall I wait for another? Are you the one for whom I have spent my life preparing? Has it all been for nothing?”

The Advent season, culminating with Christmas, is an invitation to see the world differently. We are invited NOT to be so enmeshed with the present, not to be overly impressed with things as they are, not to be so committed to or defensive of all our current arrangements. Christmas has become asking ourselves, “For what have we waited? For what have we given our lives: the restoration of the old order or the creation of the new?” It is an assertion that our present will end. In fact, we are the creators of ending the injustices, anger and discomfort we see around us, and birthing a greater reality.

Live the world we are birthing

We are invited to live precisely the new world we want and we do that through activating our Twelve Powers through turning our eyes toward the new, toward the light during the darkest time of the year. Through turning our hearts toward gentleness and our bodies toward living meaningful and abundant lives for all.

The Twelve Powers, a foundational Unity teaching, are core abilities within each of us that we are using whether we know it or not. We consciously use them to handle every life situation so we can be the best we can be – live our most noble self to bring forth the new world, to bring forth that which we have been waiting for. Each of our Twelve Powers has a focused use and purpose – we use them together, in concert, to master the art of living. They are faith, strength, wisdom, love, power, imagination, understanding, will, order, zeal, release and life.

I offer this candle lighting practice for the 12 days of Christmas. Each of the Twelve Powers is connected to elements of the Christmas story as described below. Gather 12 candles, each a different color if possible, but not necessary. You can have a colored piece of paper by each candle, or simply print this image to the right and have it present to remind you of the colors. Light one candle each day for 12 days, beginning on Christmas.

We light these candles as a celebration and commitment to being God principle in action… through us, beyond us, and more than we can imagine, because newness is on its way among us. It is a way to remember the Twelve Powers of humankind are twelve living lights, always expressing, always unfolding.

You can do this candle lighting by yourself or with a group, it’s up to you. How you do the candle lighting is your choice. You can have one person read the description, then invite the others to speak the affirmation. Or perhaps you have several people take turns as the SPEAKER, and then inviting others to speak the affirmation together. Or you can do this on your own, reading the descriptions and speaking the affirmations out loud.

Remember, we light these candles as a celebration and commitment to being God principle in action… living the world we are waiting for, because newness is on its way as us. These are twelve living lights, always expressing, always unfolding. 

12 Living Lights Ritual

The BLUE candle represents Mary, and the faculty of FAITH

Mary holds a very special place in our hearts because she is the quintessential activity of faith. The angel Gabriel, a divine visitor, knocks on the door of her heart asking her to do the impossible. This news probably brought some fear and filled her with questions. Yet, the moment she stepped forward in faith, into an unknown future, she created a space within herself for infinite possibilities to be born. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of FAITH – the light that calls us to forgive more fully and love more deeply. It calls each of us to be greater than we could have ever imagined.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of faith to the world – the gift that expresses divinely through our oneness of humanity.

The LIGHT GREEN candle represents the SHEPHERDS, and the faculty of STRENGTH

In the Gospel of Luke, the shepherds are tending to their sheep when the angels appear. They are doing what they have done for generations, watching over what is precious and necessary for life. They represent the enduring, living light of Strength – the power and purity of steadfast perseverance we embody as we navigate life. The shepherds are that voice within reminding us we are not alone. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of STRENGTH – the light that carries us through our joys and our sufferings. It allows us to watch over what is most precious in our own lives because we know God is everywhere present.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of spiritual strength to the world – the gift of our patience and steadfastness in Truth.

The YELLOW candle represents the WISE MEN, and the faculty of WISDOM

In the time of Jesus, the Magi, or wise men, had wisdom by being in touch with another reality. When they had the vision of Jesus’ birth, they chose to act on it – at great risk to their own well-being. The magi represent for us our capacity to seek guidance and answers, and to use that wisdom to create a world that works for all. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of WISDOM – the light that is the link between our divine and human nature. Wisdom directs us to act as love, compassion, joy, peace and all divine ideas, bringing the invisible world into reality.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of wisdom to the world – the gift that is a light shining from within, illuminating our way.

The PINK candle represents the GIFTS OF THE MAGI, and the faculty of LOVE

In the Gospel of Matthew, the gifts the wise men bring to Jesus are gold, frankincense, and myrrh—rare, precious and priceless in Jesus’ world. The Magi traveled from far away nations, and knelt before the Christ child as a sign of love and devotion. These gifts remind us that we are each worthy of giving and receiving the priceless gift of love and belonging. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of LOVE – the light reminding us the Christmas story heralds the birth of a person who loved selflessly, and any person who loves in this way is fully alive with the gifts of the Magi.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of love to the world – the gift that comes from our hearts and minds, flowing freely to bless all.

The PURPLE candle represents the BETHLEHEM, and the faculty of POWER

In Hebrew, Bethlehem literally translates as “house of bread. ” In early Christianity it began to mean “house of living bread,” which we would call the power of Truth. This power is the foundation on which we stand, infusing our words, thoughts and deeds to transform the world. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of POWER – the light that is the embodiment of the Christ. We leave echoes of perfection when speaking words of Truth, and the power of our presence in the world is the greatest gift we can offer humanity.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of power to the world – the gift that creates good in our lives with every word of Truth spoken.

The LIGHT BLUE candle represents the STAR OF BETHLEHEM, and the faculty of IMAGINATION

In the Gospel of Matthew the wise men were guided by the Star of Bethlehem to the newborn baby. It lit their path, allowing them to follow a way to the beginning of a new world. The star symbolizes our ability to imagine and envision a transformed world, and follow that vision in order to express the Christ. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of IMAGINATION – the light we use to create and give shape to the sacred and to form God into what the world needs most: compassion, joy, love, courage and peace.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of imagination to the world – the gift that dreams divine ideas into healthy, prosperous, peaceful and joyous experiences.

The GOLD candle represents the JOSEPH, and the faculty of UNDERSTANDING

Joseph, husband of Mary and father to Jesus, inspires us to view life through another’s eyes. Joseph’s character is strong and quiet, yet he has a desire to know the world in a more profound way, regardless of his challenges. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of UNDERSTANDING – the light that is our ability to stretch and see with new eyes, taking in all that is happening, not just with our senses, but with our hearts and minds. This spiritual understanding leads us to knowing the peace that surpasses all human understanding.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of understanding to the world – the gift that is developed as divine law in body and mind.

The SILVER candle represents the ANGEL GABRIEL, and the faculty of WILL

The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary to let her know she would miraculously give birth to a child. Little did she know he would become a wayshower for the world on how to love, give and forgive. The word “angel” means “messenger from God,” and when this divine visitor knocked on Mary’s heart with a message that seemed impossible, we are reminded that our “angels” represent the will of our higher self, leading and calling us to forgive more fully, and love more deeply.  We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of WILL – the light that is our willingness to say yes to to that which is calling us to be greater than we could have ever imagined.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of will to the world – the gift that knows there are infinite possibilities available in every situation.

The DARK GREEN candle represents MANGER, and the faculty of DIVINE ORDER

The writer of Luke tells us that when Jesus was born he was wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger. This is an extraordinarily humble beginning, yet this simple, often unseen, barnyard trough is a symbol for that current of spiritual law that is ever-present and always accessible. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of DIVINE ORDER – the light that is the naturally ordered, hidden, current of life we are always aligning with in order to bring forth a world in a balanced and harmonious way.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of order to the world – the gift that is in tune with the Infinite, establishing perfect peace.

The ORANGE candle represents the HEAVENLY HOSTS, and the faculty of ZEAL

The prophet Isaiah wrote that a child will be born, the prince of peace, and heavenly hosts will express the “zeal of the Lord.” In the Gospel of Luke, the heavenly hosts ring out the song of Jesus’ birth. “And suddenly there was the with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts…” A truly awe-inspiring image to represent the universal force which urges us to grow and enthusiastically move forward in life. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of ZEAL – the light that is the inward fire of the soul, passionately springing forward to manifest our Christ nature here on earth.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of zeal to the world – the gift that bursts forth bringing everlasting joy everywhere we go.

The RUST candle represents the PROPHETS and KING DAVID, and the faculty of RELEASE

In scripture, Jesus’ lineage and connection to King David is highlighted, as are the prophets who foretold the coming of a Messiah. These characters show us that, while our story matters – where, who and what we come from – they also invite us to see what we may need to let go of on our spiritual journey. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of RELEASE – the light of surrendering to our inner Spirit and releasing old thoughts, feelings and experiences that are not for our highest good.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of release to the world – the gift that is bringing forth a new, fresh and wonderful world.

The RED candle represents JESUS, and the faculty of LIFE

Christmas comes at the darkest time of the year, the setting in which Jesus’ birth stories were written. Is it any wonder then, that we yearn for the rich language of light – luminous, blazing, glowing, illuminating, radiant, sparkling, shining, brilliant… Light is deep within us as the symbol of what is most sacred, divine and alive. It is life itself. We light this candle to acknowledge our living light of LIFE – which is the expression of vitality, wholeness and creativity, as demonstrated by Jesus. His birth and life remind us, show us, that we are infused with that same divine presence he embodied, and have the power and potential to express the eternal activity of God in all things and in all ways.

AFFIRMATION: We light this candle to acknowledge our gift of life to the world – the gift that gives awareness of purpose and revitalizing energy to every creation on earth.

Far back beyond the beginning, stretching out into the unknowable, incomprehensible, unfathomable depths, dark and void of infinite eternity behind all history, the Christpower was alive. This was the living, bursting, pulsing, generating, creating, smoldering, exploding, fusing, multiplying, emerging, erupting, pollenizing, heating, cooling power of life itself. You are the Christ, for in you we see and feel and experience the living force of life and love and being of God. And it was good!

So we became agents of that power, sharing those gifts from generation to generation, creating and re-creating, transforming, redeeming, making all things new. And as this power moved among human beings, light once more separated from darkness. And it was good! To know Christpower is to live, to love, to be.