Creating an Authenic Holiday

The holiday season is upon us and most of us find ourselves invited into the habitual choices that we now call traditions.  Some of the patterns inspire and open our hearts while others lead us to feeling disconnected, pressured and overwhelmed at this time of year.  So how can we change the trajectory of this season’s dance and create a holiday filled with love?

1.     Remember who you are.  You are the very essence of love.  Love is the pure, unconditional essence at the core of all life.  It streams from the Divine Source without barriers, without judgments, without needs.  It is a constant flowing energy that is your true essence.  It never pulls back or shifts from your being. 

2.     Cultivate a Love Practice.  What you focus on expands.  Take time each morning to be silent and connect with your true essence.  Begin by  sitting in a comfortable position, spine open and upright, arms resting at your sides.  Breathe deeply into your body and elongate your exhale.   Relax your jaw and facial muscles.  Breathe in and out deeply  several times and then normalize your breath.   Picture someone you love unconditionally.  Feel the love within your being and appreciate your heart’s ability to radiate love so freely, so easily.  As you connect with this love, expand the energy so that love saturates all the cells of your body.  Expand the love outward until your whole space is illuminated with love.  Make a decision to bring this loving energy into your day.  See the day unfolding in your mind as you radiate pure love.  Bask in this radiant love.  Bring this energy throughout your day and notice what happens.

3.     Practice presence.  Presence is the portal to love and equanimity.  Our culture believes love, happiness and fulfillment are dependent upon circumstances and others.  Love, peace, prosperity, wisdom and more are energies within us.  Where you put your attention, will expand.  Take a moment right now, to breathe deeply into your belly, elongate your exhale and do this several times.  Allow your breath to normalize.  Let your attention focus on breathing in and breathing out.  Breathing in, breathing out.  Let thoughts float by, without giving them your any more energy thatn simply noticing their presence, while focusing on your breath.  Love is always present within your heart.  It is not conditional.  Love is not dependent upon your fulfilling your to-do list; getting things perfect; giving or receiving the right presents; meeting someone’s needs; or being worthy.  YOU are born from the essence of love.   When you learn to be with your breath and right here and now, you access your innate power through presence.  You discover love, peace, joy and prosperity as energies within you ready and willing to expand through your presence. 

4.     Act with kindness.    Make a decision to be a force of love through kind actions this season.   Instead of joining into the hustle bustle; slow down and give someone your space in line; lend a helping hand; give someone your full attention.   You never know what burdens another person is carrying within their being - so breathe, access love and practice random acts of kindness throughout your day.  The energy upon which you focus expands.

5.     Cultivate appreciation.  Gratitude is the essence of our presence to love.  Set a timer to ring several times in the day: make this your gratitude alert!  Notice where your attention is at that moment.  Breathe deeply and focus on 3-5 things your deeply appreciate. Breathe and appreciate your ability to experience and cultivate gratitude and love.  Whatever you focus on expands.

6.     Create a New Tradition.   With the focus on material gift giving, children learn to associate abundance with stuff.  Perhaps you can do something different this year and create an appreciation book for members of your family filled with statements and images expressing your gratitude.   Have your children do the same and include their drawings.  Take time to write those things you deeply value about the individual.  Decorate the book as an expression of loving appreciation.  Notice what expands in your life. 

7.     Discover true meaning in your holiday.  What do you celebrate and why?  Spend time discovering what the holiday truly means to you.  Cultivate a meaningful connection to the event your honor – Christmas; Hanukkah; Winter Solstice; Kwanza or others.  As you discover the meaning of this holiday, align your choices with this significance.  Where you spend your time; the gifts you may exchange; the celebrations you’ll create or attend can deepen that connection to your holiday or serve as a distraction from it.   Bring meaning into every action associated with the holiday and notice what happens.   

You are the essence of love incarnate.  You are pure potential awaiting your focused attention to bring forth exquisite creations into abundant experiences and forms within the earth.  Awaken to your authentic power.  Connect with the miracles associated with your holiday, the infinite well of love within you and the power to expand that love and appreciation throughout the season.  And notice what happens.
Seeing you in the miracle of love now and always,
Lori