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.
My basement is already filling with toys and gifts for the SisterHood families. This is the TWENTY THIRD year of the SisterHood Holiday Gift Drive and I realize that it now has a momentum of it’s own. We’ve served anywhere from 250 to all 450 during these years.
It’s uncomfortable feeling the darkness within the belly, leaking into the day. The waking to news that frightens, angers, and confuses you. This world gone astray.
It was a day of exquisite Fall beauty, poignant pain, and inspiring hope. We stood among 600 people gathered at a local park for the 9th annual Out of the Darkness Walk. Many groups carrying photos of lovely humans or wearing t-shirts honoring those they lost to suicide.
I pulled into a crowded Target parking lot on a windy, sunny afternoon.nI’ve been doing a bunch of errands and had plenty of direct experience with busy roadways, impatient drivers, and crowded parking lots.
The Art of Becoming 6 week Journey offers an invitation to step outside the boundaries of your life as you know it. To go on a pilgrimage to the unknown. Within a circle of sisters.
I’m at home in the redwoods of California. My whole being knows this to be true. Until 10 months ago, I was not aware that such a place existed for me.
