Both Christmas and Hanukkah celebrate the joy and profound mystery of light in the darkness. When we follow the path of eating disorder recovery, we learn more about light and darkness than we ever dreamed possible.

The Mystery

I wish you light. And I wish you darkness, too. Why?

That's part of the great and wondrous mystery.

Without darkness, we would not know the meaning or experience of light. Without light, we would not know the meaning or experience of darkness. One cannot exist without the other. This is different from taking the good with the bad. This is different from taking turns. And this is different from any discussion about opposites.

Darkness and Light as One

Darkness and Light together as one concept is as close as I believe we can get to darkness and light as one nameless completion. We mortals can get high on light. We can get somber in prolonged darkness. We can also get clarity in the light. And we can reach deep understanding and insight in the dark.

Being Fully Alive

Being fully alive in this world involves our being able to reside within the complete darkness and light of all things. So, when we celebrate life, we celebrate both light and darkness. We celebrate the darkness of the earth and within the womb, for that brings forth life. We celebrate the light, for that allows us vision and sustains life.

Holiday Wishes

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to you, my friends I know and have yet to know. Please remember eating disorder recovery, wherever you are in your journey, means we must continually pass through times of light, times of darkness and lightness again.

Each time we come up from the dark, we have new personal treasures to bring to the light, which enhance our healing. I wish you a loving holiday with shared tenderness and caring throughout the coming year, throughout the darkness and the light of your days.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Written by Joanna Poppink, MFT. Joanna is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in eating disorder recovery, stress, PTSD, and adult development.

She is licensed in CA, AZ, OR, and FL. Author of the Book: Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder

Appointments are virtual.

For a free telephone consultation, e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.