Christmas Wish

"May you have 
the gladness of Christmas which is hope;

The spirit of Christmas which is peace;

The heart of Christmas which is love."

~Ada V. Hendricks

Honor the Dark before Calling in the Light

Self-Help Tip: 

“We all walk in the dark 

and each of us must learn 
to turn on his or her own light.”

 ~Earl Nightingale

          And here we are at the Winter Solstice which is both the shortest day and longest night of the solar year. December 21st may be the the longest night but it carries the promise of Spring. The Winter Solstice is the day that the Sun’s light begins to grow again. The diminishing of the Sun’s light ends and the days begin to grow brighter and longer again until warmth and fertility return to the Earth.

         The word Solstice literally means the sun stands still. It is the extreme positions of the sun at midsummer and midwinter, that makes the rising and setting of the sun appear to take place in the same position on the horizon for three or four days in succession. The Sun's path north or south appears to come to a magical stop before reversing direction. It’s also the day, if we are attuned to the rhythm of the seasons, that we know we are heading toward more daylight and this manages to lift our spirits and has been a cause for celebration way back into the most ancient of times.

         In the Jin Shin Jyutsu philosophy, it is not surprising that the color associated with this Winter-time of darkness is blue/black. The attitude of imbalance is FEAR and the harmonizer for fear is LOVE. (Hold your index finger to balance.)

        This moment of transit from the old light to the new provides an opportunity for each of us to reflect on our experiences through the year and to set our intentions for the incoming year. Take this opportunity to embody the light, the love, and the consciousness that is your birthright as a Spiritual Being having this Human Experience. I invite you to embrace the darkness, to welcome the returning light and to share this love with all around you.

"With mounds of greenery, 

the brightest ornaments, 

we bring high summer to our rooms, 

as if to spite the somberness of winter come." 

~Margaret Starkey

Remember, We are the Tree

"We are like the little branch 
that quivers during a storm,

doubting our strength 
and forgetting we are the tree—

deeply rooted 
to withstand all life’s upheavals."

~Dodinsky

     To balance and harmonize our total being we can simply hold the palms of the hand. Holding the palms puts us in direct contact with the energy that determines the blueprint for our manifested form, the human body. As we are burdened with the trials of our everyday life, it is helpful to remember that we are indeed SPIRITUAL BEINGS having a HUMAN EXPERIENCE. With this in mind, I find it easier to deal with the mundane aspects of being human and to remember that I am the tree, rooted to the earth as I reach for the skies.
     Since this energy puts us in touch with SOURCE energy, it is small wonder that throughout human history, people have clasped their hands together in "prayer" position. The ancients knew that this was not just a symbolic gesture but a practical way to connect with SOURCE  and find harmony with the universe.
     As a total harmonizer, holding the palms, one at a time or together, will enable us to feel a profound sense of peace and oneness with ALL. Harmony is bestowed upon diaphragm and umbilicus energy. This energy helps to regulate temperature and breath. It is the source of our personal life energy. Holding the palms can serve as a recharge for your rundown "battery".
     This energy is ours to access at any time of the day or night. Sit or lie quietly with hands held together, either fingertips in palms or palms together in whatever way that you find most comfortable. Breathe. Inhale, Exhale. Relax the shoulders. Allow the shoulder blades the slip down the back any amount. Continue breathing with awareness and feel the pulse of the universe in the palm of your hands. Remember that you are a Spiritual Being having a Human Experience and SMILE. Know that all you need is already there, inside you.

"I am the Cosmic Rhythm, 

which is the Breath I receive, 

all knowledge/wisdom is within. 

So simply BE the awareness/knowledge 

and the understanding/wisdom." 

~Mary Iino Burmeister

Self-Help Tip: Stop the Swirl of Holiday Stress

"The time to relax 
is when you don't have time for it."

~Sydney J. Harris 

         We forget sometimes that the time to take time for ourselves is when we seem to have no time at all! I love this quote and was reminded of it when I offered a session to a stressed-out friend. Her response was, "Oh, that sounds so nice. Maybe when things calm down, I will be able to take you up on your offer." I knew that a session would have helped to calm things down for her.
         In my experience, when we come at things from a place of balance, everything calms down, we cope better and move through our lives with more ease. We need to find ways to replenish our energy, so that we can continue to take care of our kids, spouse, job, family and friends. An indicator that we need to take time is when we feel that we have nothing left to give to the things/people that we care about! When our emotional and energetic bank account is overdrawn life becomes a downward spiral.
So, when you find yourself caught up in the swirl of holiday stress, just Stop. Hit the Pause Button. Remember your Breath. Take a moment in the peaceful center of the storm. And then Go with the Flow.
          I encourage you to remember that peace and calm are indeed possible in the midst of the holiday season.

"Every day brings a choice:
 to practice stress or to practice peace."

~Joan Borysenko