The arrival of Christmas 2021 provides a stark reminder that the world into which we are born is far from being perfect, turbulence and division are never far away but today’s post is about renewal and understanding that it’s the time to heal our wounds and begin to soften, it’s a transition that can allow vulnerability back into your life. It’s more than obvious that the season for celebration is upon us once again, it’s unavoidable, big business is everywhere, urging us on to buy all we can, it’s a joyful moment when we can spend our holidays together and let go a bit. But how do we go about using this coming together, this opportunity, to learn more about the words still buried in our hearts, are we still tuned into the values we hold onto and how will our vulnerability play out in the real world this season?

For most of us, it’s been a very long year, the job now is to begin to settle and approach Xmas in the right way? Holidays are always stressful, we want things to be ‘just right’ and if you happen to be a grandparent or a parent your expectations are running high, we speed up, we acquire more, spend more and prepare so much in order to soothe away all the family troubles and concerns.

If becoming mindful is what attracts you to these posts, then preparation is more than just wrapping up presents, more than setting up that beautiful tree and cooking yummy food for all to share. In reality, the dream of a family gathered around a tree of abundance is real for just a very few, that place where love and generosity towards each other is unbiased and unconditional. It’s far too easy to give without really loving, the tinsel and glitter put on a great show but sometimes it can be our own unmet needs that blind us to what’s going on inside, our hidden emotions affect us without understanding why, so let’s practice some new moves and get some awareness moving as we begin to travel the roads towards family this year.

It would be wonderful if understanding and insight could show up under the Christmas tree in a big red box tied with a colourful bow, ordering wisdom via Amazon would be pretty cool, but the real starting point is when we let go of our wrong view. Peace on earth can only exist when we stop judging others, it separates us from ourselves and from those we love most dearly. As you get closer to Christmas Day what’s the strongest emotion moving around inside you, what are you preparing to bring to this season. Family dynamics bring up so much, perhaps you’re alone, either way, the patterns are confusing, almost unconscious. Our wounded youth, our social anxiety, feelings of resentment, our abandoned relationships and loneliness all separate us from each other and, if we’re not watching carefully, will distance us from our own inner world. 

Christmas is a sacred religious holiday and it’s a worldwide cultural phenomenon, but peace doesn’t necessarily follow our good wishes for each other does it? That takes grit, hard work, dedication to spiritual values and practice like everything else that’s worth doing well. God’s presence requires faith as well as personal effort. If you are of the Christian faith and you were to look back to the birth of Jesus, you would see that the early beginnings were quite basic, a tiny manger, a few goats, the parents and a few guests called shepherds. The essence of Christianity was untroublesome and pure. We have since woven many stories around the birth of this favoured son and like much in life we have wandered away from such things as understanding universal truth, we have wandered into the wilderness, lost touch with hope and the spirit of love and kindness is floundering.

Amidst the chaos there is always hope, always light, always simplicity waiting to be resurrected in our hearts. We have the chance to free ourselves from the fear and disbelief created by this global pandemic but we must not forget that joy comes when you truly know that we’re in charge, that you are the captain of your own destiny, you see clearly how those choices really do count. Most religions have a focus on personal responsibility at the heart of their teachings, so Christmas is also a time to investigate who we are, to see the ingrained patterns that cloud our world view and to observe how our unmet needs affect our relationships. Do I feel worthy entering this year’s festivities, can I let go of wanting to be seen as special, can I allow all these feelings to simply exist without retreating from them or trying to cover them all up until next year’s gathering.

A whole heap of stuff has been out of balance lately but our role this Christmas, our job, is to not act-out these frustrations on others. This is the holy season, what’s ahead is all about people, it’s about how we can let this season reflect the journey that we’re on, your inner life is on show here and by setting your intention to embrace a greater essence than just yourself, you can be wisely guided through this period ahead. How do you want to feel when it’s all over, what really matters to you? Your preparation this year is really about allowing yourself to be present with loved ones and to really show up for them…what an awesome gift that would be.