I was singing Christmas Carols in my car the other day when an advertisement for a senior assisted living community came on the radio.
The peppy announcer revealed that my holiday could be a bit brighter if I looked into arranging my every need at this facility. A must for my holiday gift list with a side of peace of mind in the New Year.
This caught my attention. What did long term health care for the elderly have to do with this Christmas season, I wondered.
As the next ad announced the perfect gift of an oil change and safety check on my vehicle and promised holiday delight and peace on Earth, I was intrigued. I began to listen in earnest to the ads sprinkled between the holiday classics.
How many ways were there to spruce up my holiday, family happiness, and overall wellbeing?
Apparently, I could do this with fast food, slow food, appliances, clothing, travel, pet supplies, and eyeglasses. Who knew that holiday cheer was so abundantly available and that Santa had sold out on every level imaginable!
Interspersed within the traditional carols and local high schools rearranging the classics, were a few songs of devotion.
Oh Holy Night. The Sacred Light appeared on Earth. This invitation seemed quieter and sturdier than the garish promises of a consumer soaked culture desperate for just the thing to right the tilt of a world gone astray.
I felt a deep resonance within the story of the birthing of the Sacred Light.
The light shimmered in every traffic light, headlamp, and reflection. Here was the longevity of something that always was and always will be available. Right now, this Light was not so much needing to be purchased as it was ready to be opened.
Despite the mad seeking for the perfect gift all around me, I became aware of the deep potential to saturate within this Light.
Turning off the noise of the radio, I drove within the silent harmony of this invitation as the Light reflected within, around, and without.
Everything mundane and magical shimmered as the Light danced with every form and every idea.
Every magical idea of Santa and every belief that gifts would brighten our lives became understandable. The manipulation of this Sacredness, be it in consumerism or religion, was innocent within this dance. Absolutely everything could be enjoyed, valued, and shared.
With gratitude I turned the radio on again and let the Light pour through my heart as I sang the songs and honored the silliness of the advertisements.
I was Light Soaked through and through – ready for Santa, ready for the birthing, and open to goodwill and peace on Earth.
I believed in the goodness of humankind and the potential for evolving into the luminous human. I returned to the magic of generosity, love, and receptivity be it in our hearts, our homes, or through kind acts. I felt the cheery “ho ho ho” harmonize alongside the soaring Angelic choir and the grinch persona within.
I was infused with the Light and tuned into the Sacred. All without stepping into the mall.
Peace be with you and with all. No exceptions.
In a world of consumerism, it is important to expand your understanding of how you consume. Research has shown when you witness an event (think tv commercial, youtube, news cast), mirror neurons in the brain light up as if you are performing the event yourself. Thinking about exercise has been found to build muscle mass. The contagion effect explains why being part of a crowd bursting with negative energy leaves you angry or unsettled. You are a consumer of all things that you notice. And influenced by more things than you realize. Get conscious about what and how you consume. Eat more light.
Learn the one essential skill that allows you to face any challenge with confidence, sturdiness, and inner calm.
More than a technique. It’s a game changer.
Life is stressful. Always.
If you pause for a moment, you’ll see there is always something stressful happening. It might be mild, like when you’re running a bit late for an appointment. Or significant, like dealing with a major loss or facing a radical change in your life. If there’s a weather disaster, a country in disarray, or a threat to your livelihood, the stress meter goes way up.
One cool Spring morning, I stepped on the treadmill at the gym looking forward to walking a few miles. Recovering from an injury, I had to walk at a moderate pace so I had brought my copy of What Is Enlightenment? magazine to explore. I always found something to inspire me within this publication focused upon consciousness, culture, and cosmos.
Stress is a natural experience in life. It’s often viewed as a doorway to disruption of wellbeing, peace of mind, and a clear navigational path in a challenging situation.
I’m a bit of a news hound these days. As one who hasn’t watched a newscast in years, I’m surprising myself. Ordinarily, I wait for the news to come to me. And it does. When something is important for me to know or respond to, I hear about it. Kind friends, clients, my husband, or a random stranger share a soundbite which cues me to look into a situation further. I’ve been very comfortable with this level of engagement for years now.
In the midst of our country’s woes, I’ve got Lucinda Williams singing in my head.
“You can’t rule me
you wanna go and tell me what’s good for me
you wanna tell me what I’m payin’ for
Well, the game is fixed, it’s plain to see
I ain’t playin’ no more”
I drove through a hail storm today. It began gently, offering a musical accompaniment to my journey. Intensifying, the hail noisily demanded my attention.
