Today I want to talk about Christmas.
I have been told that traditionally Christmas is celebrated on December 25th which is four days into the winter season. Now if you live with the seasons, it is easy to see the way this Holiday is currently celebrated contradicts the meaning of this season. Instead of running around looking for the perfect present, this is the season where we need to go inside, find stillness, and cultivate being present.
This season provides us with the opportunity to look back and review what we have accomplished and what we want to create in the upcoming year. It is a time for self-reflection, deep healing, changing of perceptions, and gaining clarity about who we are and what we want to create in the future.
Part of the stress of this season has to do with the clashing approaches of finding the perfect present and becoming present. Life is quite simple, but we are bombarded with so many distractions and such an overwhelming amount of stimulation, it is easy to lose track of ourselves, what we want to create in the future.
My path was decided many years ago when my trainer picked me out of a litter of puppies. In the beginning she wasn’t a 100% sure I could handle the job, but Nancy was sure I was the one for her. So, we worked hard every day for several years perfecting my skills and deepening our connection. When the first snow arrived six months after my training began, I was deeply in love with Nancy and committed to helping her with her disability.
Then one morning I woke up to snow covering my whole world. This was new. This was unexpected and I immediately wanted to explore it. Seeing my excitement, Nancy put on some warn clothes and we stepped out of our home into a dazzling new experience. Everything looked different and smelled different. I found myself wanting to run around in circles with my tail wagging and pure joy filling my chest as I sniffed the snow. I looked up and saw Nancy make a snowball and then throw it. My retrieving instinct kicked in and I found myself airborne and catching the snowball in my mouth. It crumbled; Nancy laughed and then threw another one.
I loved the game.
So why was this so important to me?
Lets look at what this season is about again. Winter is a time for self-reflection, deep healing, changing of perceptions, and gaining clarity about who we are and what we want to create in the future. Playing catch with Nancy and the snowball that morning connected me to the moment.
How is that possible? To allow my body to leap into the air and catch a snowball in my mouth could only happen if I was fully present. Remember self-reflection does not require us to sit on a cushion or follow a meditation tradition. It only requires us to find actions and responses that instantly bring us fully in to the moment. Besides catching a snowball one of my favorite ways of coming to the moment is resting near the fireplace and allowing my body to let go and relax.
I wish there wasn’t so much stress today, but there is. In response we can recoil, disconnect with ourselves or we can find ways to be more present and, in the process, create transformative relationships that then create better days for others.
If you would like some help remembering how to be present and connect more deeply with yourself,
I suggest you explore the I Create What I Believe (ICWIB) program where my friend Luke will demonstrate the ICWIB activities and/or check out the Drawing in the Now classes that are taught by Nancy Marie over Zoom.
For more information about the Drawing in the Now Classes
visit: https://icreatewhatibelieve.com/drawing-in-the-now/
For more information about the ICWIB Online Training Program
visit https://icreatewhatibelieve.com/online-training/
If you would like to leave a comment for Alex regarding his Insights,
please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/
or you can email Alex at Alex@icreatewhatibelieve.com
In a recent interview Dr. Bruce Lipton said, “…Freedom is the ability to create without the limitation of generational programming. The I Create What I Believe! (ICWIB!) Program is a gateway and a pathway into a new and better future because it allows children and (adults) to fully express themselves and to not be limited by the beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation. This program also frees up children’s and (adults’) minds and allows their creative nature to create a better world for all of us, which is what we need right now!”
