Greeting the Season with Gratitude

With Thanksgiving just over, and the holiday season entering full swing, it is easy to be swept into the culture of consumerism and mindless over-indulgence.  This, combined with time pressure, to-do lists, and financial strain can leave you rushing through the season propelled by stress hormones, and collapsing into exhaustion on New Year’s Day.  Besides taking joy from the holiday season, and depleting both your energy and your pocketbook, the immune system and mood can both end up depressed. 

Bringing the practice of mindfulness to the season can help transform stress into relaxed / alert awareness and open the door to navigating the season with a grateful heart.  Here’s a brief primer to introduce the practice of mindfulness.

1)  Develop your “inner witness” role.  This is the part of you that can mentally “take a step back” and observe how you are feeling both physically and      emotionally and also notice what you are thinking, but doing so without self judgment.
2)  Accurately label what your “inner witness” notices.  For example, “I feel tired, my head hurts, I feel disappointed and I am thinking that I will never get everything done.”
3)  Ask, “What am I feeling in my body?”  For example, instead of just   saying, “I feel tired,” ask “Where in particular do I feel the tiredness?”  (Perhaps the feet are sore, the back aches, the shoulders may be knotted.)
4)  Notice the breath.  After it comes in through the nose, where does it go?  Does it stop at the throat, the chest?  Does it go to the lower lobes of the lungs or all the way to the belly?
5)  Allow the breath to go to the part of the body that feels discomfort.
6)  Add gentle, soothing touch such as kneading the shoulder or moving the fingers in a stroking or circular pattern as you send the breath there.
7)  Pay attention to the breath rather than engaging thoughts and feelings ~ just allow those to float through your consciousness like clouds and return your attention to the breath.
8)  Take your “inner witness” with you wherever you go, e.g. shopping, to parties, to work, etc.
9)  When you are faced with a decision, e.g. about food choices, gift buying, accepting or declining an invitation, give yourself permission to pause.  Use this pause to check in with your “inner witness” and your breath.  Let them guide your choices.  For example, if you  notice that you begin holding your breath, or that you feel panic at the thought of saying “yes” to one more invitation, let that information support your decision to decline.

10)  Bring mindfulness to eating. Check in with your level of hunger / fullness before and during the meal or snack.  Notice tastes, textures, temperatures of food.  Chew thoroughly.  Savor the flavor.  Breathe.

Finally, give yourself the gift of gratitude.  Mindfulness will heighten awareness.  So as you notice holiday lights, scented candles, seasonal music, children’s smiles, or the sparkling eyes of those whose lives you have touched, breathe into your heart and notice the gratitude.  Savor the seasonal spirit that has taken up residence in your bodymindheartspirit.

Blessings & Balance
Namaste´.