I have spent the last two weeks traveling extensively for business. While my travels were quite productive, I return to find that I am quite behind in my holiday spirit. Christmas is a beautiful time of year, not because of gifts and shopping, but because we gather to celebrate a holy birth and our love for each other.
As I was catching up with my email today, I was grateful to my friend Mary Jo for sending me an inspiring list written by Lama Surya Das, who has been called “The Western Lama” by the Dali Lama. These are especially meaningful to me because I met Lama Surya Das this year and enjoyed his very joyful spirit. If you go to my page on Facebook, you will find a picture of us taken together. I’ll be happy to add you as a friend if you want to take a look, go to www.facebook.com/betsymuller
LAMA SURYA DAS’
7 TIPS FOR MAKING HOLIDAYS MORE SACRED
1. Generosity–Gift-giving, Volunteering, Reaching out (calling, writing, acknowledging), Cheerfulness, smiling
2. Share a prayer, share a poem, share a kindness, share a favor
3. Give yourself a gift, material or just of time and space
4. Inspirational reading
5. Pay attention, make the strong intention to be extra-present and to try and plumb the meaning of the particular holiday and season (and your locale as well)
6. Connect with someone you have difficulty relating to– for example, finding some common ground to talk about or something to like about a family member you usually have difficulty with, judge or disagree with at holiday gatherings
7. Serve at a shelter, provide food for those in need, make hospital visits or visit the elderly or shut-ins; connect with a child and give them a boost in some way
Action Steps: What will you do to make these next weeks sacred? Do any of these ideas resonate with you more than others? If you feel resistance, seek to understand what lies beneath it. Make a commitment to yourself to do several things on this list – including the one that seems hardest, because that may just be where your joy is hiding!
