It seems more and more like the holiday season starts October 1st and runs through the beginning of the New Year. Halloween decorations came out in my suburban Austin neighborhood at the beginning of October. Thanksgiving blow-ups immediately followed Halloween around the first of November. The weekend before Thanksgiving, we saw Christmas lights going up. The spirit of the holidays is not found in decorations, but more in the way people express themselves once they have gone through their storage to access the seasonal decor. (tee hee)
People’s emotions and moods change during the holidays, depending on their circumstances and conditions. My practice sees the impact of stress during the holidays, which can dampen the spirit for some. Increased spending, the added pressure of travel, and the tension that sometimes accompanies those family gatherings just add to the experience!
This whisper comes out of curiosity around the true spirit of Christmas and the holidays. I feel a message from spirit looming in the room, so let’s see what is in the air. My computer just auto-corrected so let’s into soul, and that is a sign of things to come:
The weather, the people, the state of being, and the current conditions influence the spirit of the season. Each person must hold enough self-awareness to truly manage their emotional state during times of excess stimulation. Whether feeling the stress that comes with the holiday, the anticipation of upcoming gatherings, or the joy of giving, each person is having a heightened emotional experience during the holiday season. Honest perception of the current conditions can help create brilliant strategies that serve to modify the mood.
Elevating the mood to a conscious state of true being relies on the ability to maintain independence. If one’s joy and happiness are dependent on others, the holiday could provide a roller coaster ride. When joy and happiness are natural states of being, the season can offer a substantial lift to the energy. Gratitude is an attitude that requires conscious consideration of achieving greater self-awareness. Is a conflict being internalized? Are negative people projecting their biased opinions on you? Self-awareness helps with maintaining independent expressions of emotions through honest assessment of conditions that prevent any reactive state of being.
In order to experience joy, sometimes one must seek out the people, the places, and the circumstances that enhance and support conscious manifestation of the true spirit of the holidays. Whether this means volunteering to serve food for the needy, gathering with friends, skiing down a mountain, or sipping a beverage by the fire, every action is a choice and every reaction is a decision to participate in an experience.
Love is the spirit of life and the most independent energy one can hold. For love is not found as a victim of circumstance or condition. Love is found in the power to be true to one’s self in order to uphold the core virtues that build the architecture of light known as the soul. Expressing virtues that reflect the joy of the season is the shortest path to peace and the greatest gift to humanity. Love for life in the season of giving fills the soul with life-force energy.
Bring joy, ease suffering and create beauty, then dance like you mean it!
Blessings, Russell
May you be blessed with the gift of love in the spirit of the holiday. From Beckie, myself, and the entire IEL community, have a very Merry Christmas
