Revoked: Dec 25, 2025

Thursday, December 25, 2025

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This Day in Gay History

December 25

Noteworthy The Unconquered Sun 2021 - SOL INVICTUS ("the Unconquered Sun") or, more fully, Deus Sol Invictus ("the Unconquered Sun God") was the late Roman state sun god. The cult was created by the emperor Aurelian in 274 CE and continued until the abolition of paganism under Theodosius I. The Romans held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the birthday of the unconquered sun." The use of the title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the patron god of Emperor Aurelian (270-274); and Mithras. Oh, and a Jewish upstart named Jesus. December 25^th was also considered to be the date of the winter solstice, which the Romans called bruma. It was therefore the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours. (When Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar in 45 B.C.E., December 25^th was approximately the date of the solstice. In modern times, the solstice falls on December 21^st or 22^nd.) The Sol Invictus festival has a "strong claim on the responsibility" for the date of Christmas, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. Solar symbolism was popular with early Christian writers as Jesus was considered to be the "sun of righteousness." The date for Christmas may also bear a relation to the sun worship. According to the scholiast on the Syriac bishop Jacob Bar-Salibi, writing in the twelfth century: "It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnized on that day." (cited in "Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries", Ramsay MacMullen. Yale:1997, p155)
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Via Daily Dharma: Meditating on Jesus

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Meditating on Jesus

Meditating on the life and teachings of Jesus is, for me, as valuable for gaining insights as meditating on the lives of Shantideva, Bodhidharma, Francis of Assisi, Catherine of Genoa, or Martin de Porres.

Charles Johnson, “Love, Wisdom, and Dr. King”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

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RIGHT ACTION
Reflecting Upon Bodily Action

However the seed is planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing good deeds; bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too bodily action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61)

When you are doing an action with the body, reflect on that same bodily action thus: "Does this action I am doing with the body lead to my own affliction?" If, on reflection, you know that it does, then stop doing it; if you know that it does not, then continue. (MN 61)

Reflection

Here we have a plain appeal for continuous mindfulness of the body. It is not a practice only for the meditation hall or focused only on breathing but is a habit of conscious living, of conscious awareness of how the body is disposed and moves. When doing something, know that you are doing it. Do one thing at a time. You might say, "Anything worth doing is worth doing deliberately."

Daily Practice

Every single thing we do can be done with greater awareness. We are so accustomed to allowing our behavior to be guided by unconscious habit so the mind can be wrapped up in something else. But this deprives us of the opportunity to guide our actions ethically. As you become consciously aware of what you do unconsciously, notice that you can intervene when necessary and tell yourself to stop any action that is unethical.

Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings
One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action

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Via The Tricycle Community // Three Teachings: Supported by the Sangha

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December 25, 2025

Walking the Path Together

There are many challenges and obstacles that each of us face along the journey to awakening. But as the Buddha reminds us, we were never meant to go it alone. Instead, we can draw support and nourishment from the companionship of those who walk the path along with us.

Buddhism has always emphasized the role of sangha (community) as a foundation of our practice. Sangha is one of the three precious jewels, along with the Buddha (the example) and the dharma (the teachings). As Buddhists, we take refuge in the Buddha and his teachings, and we also take refuge in our own sangha of friends, family and co-practitioners. This means that we can turn to community as an ever-present source of guidance and encouragement as we traverse the ups and downs of a spiritual life.

“If you have a supportive sangha, it’s easy to nourish your bodhicitta, the seeds of enlightenment,” writes Thich Nhat Hanh. “If you don’t have anyone who understands you, who encourages you in the practice of the living dharma, your desire to practice may wither.”

May this week’s Three Teachings serve as a reminder and celebration of the power of community along the Buddhist path.

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What’s In A Word? Sangha
By Andrew Olendzki

Buddhist scholar Andrew Olendzki digs into the meaning of the Sanskrit term sangha for insights on the earliest understandings of the role of community in Buddhism. Originally referring to small monastic groups, sangha is now often understood as encompassing all sentient beings.

The Fertile Soil of Sangha
By Thich Nhat Hanh

What does it mean to take refuge in the sangha? Thich Nhat Hanh described sangha as the “main ingredient of success” in our practice and explores how we can draw support and sustenance from our spiritual communities.

Creating Sangha
By Stephen Batchelor

As Buddhism has evolved, sangha has shifted from monasteries to modern cities. Secular dharma teacher Stephen Batchelor considers how we can create and maintain strong communities as lay practitioners living in an individualistic world.

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