Winter is a time of going inward — a time of quiet and reflection. Nature mirrors this slowing down everywhere we look—bears hibernate, flowers are dormant, we want to stay home, enjoy a cozy fire and nest.
If we allowed ourselves to surrender to this natural flow of energy, we could use this time to clean our psychic space of old thoughts, behaviors, and patterns that no longer serve us. Then, with the dawning of spring, we would be ready to renew our commitment to self and plant the intention for our soul’s journey for the coming year.
At the same time there’s an organic pull to go inside, life thrusts us into the holiday season with a demand to be active in the world. Of course, we welcome the celebration but are often too depleted to get the most joy out of it.
The original purpose of the holiday season—no matter our persuasion—is to celebrate and “intend” something greater than what is happening in life at this moment. Recognizing that every religion and spiritual practice is designed to “bring back our remembrance” of Oneness, the interconnectedness of everything—call it “The Divine”, “Mother/Father God”, “Spirit”, “The Whole”, “Humanity”.
This remembering allows us to focus on relationship. How are each of us being “in relationship” to Self (Higher Power), Other, and the planet?
Are we living what we celebrate? Have we taken the time, space, and breath to feel the inspiration that this time affords? Do we embody love, kindness, tolerance, actively participating in family, community, and being good stewards of our planet?
Getting caught up in the outer festivities and losing sight of our inner intentions—is all too easy. With time constraints, we become slaves to our schedule. When you feel yourself stressing about your “to do” list, stop and take a breath. Breath is “Spirit”. Remember the “spirit” of what you’re doing. Taking a breath is worth its weight in gold.
Our “sacred work” during this holiday season is to stay connected to our inner desire for peace, love, and harmony for everyone and everything while we live out the festivities of the moment.
As is most often the case, finding balance is the answer to this dilemma. When we take a moment to go inside, center, and honor our process, we can move into the world and embody the fullness of the season. Celebration is an inside job — we go inside to balance then move out and take ourselves with us.
As we celebrate the new consciousness of love and peace, or lighting our awareness of religious freedom, or the importance of serving and participating in the well being of our communities—let’s live them in every fiber of our Being.
Our respective holidays afford us a wonderful and powerful opportunity to put our prayers, good intentions, and good deeds into action. Happy Holidays.
First published on December 22, 2014
Diane Halperin 