Did you know that scorpions glow in UV light? If you were to venture out to scan the nighttime desert with a UV flashlight, you'd find these nocturnal creatures emitting a mesmerizing blue-green glow against the shadowed sands. During this month of Scorpio (represented by the scorpion), we, too, can use this time of waning sunlight to access our inner glow. We can stop to remember that the light is always within us... and that it's up to us to turn up that dimmer switch so that we can share more of our best selves with the world!
Called Mar Cheshvan (meaning "bitter Cheshvan") in Hebrew, this month brings a rare respite from holidays or celebrations. Its name evokes an absence of sweetness and a hint of gloom with the approaching darkness of winter. Well, I say, forget the doom. Forget the gloom! Because hiding within the shadows of these seeming negatives are great opportunities for inner growth. We can turn the bitter (Mar) around to read as Ram, or exultation. We can use this quieter time to absorb last month's flurry of contemplations and celebrations to reap their benefits in the year ahead.