Guided Meditation • Visualization • Mindfulness

The energy of the holidays always carries a strong positive vibration of love, hope and charity. It’s a time for acknowledging the blessings of the past year (c’mon there had to be a few), while looking forward to the blessings of the upcoming year. While it’s true that the holidays can also be a time of tremendous stress, don’t let that be an excuse to descend into negative thinking. The infallible law of karma is such that it is impossible to create joy and abundance from an inner state of lack and poverty.

Instead, use the positive vibration of the holiday season to assist you in redirecting your attention away from the voice of the ego (which is always complaining, comparing, defending, judging and criticizing), to the equanimity and harmony of your soul. Make a commitment this holiday season to, “Be the changes that you want to see in the world,” (Ghandi). Use the energy of the season to be loving, hopeful and charitable with yourself first; thereby allowing the river of your wellbeing to flow out into the home, the community and the world. Here’s a simple yet profound meditation that will help you to open yourself up to the beautiful and abundant energy of this holiday season:

• Sit in a comfortable upright position with your palms facing up and your chin tilted slightly down so that your neck is long.
• Close your eyes and take six to ten long deep belly breaths. Try to make your exhalations as long as your inhalations. This will create space in the body and quite in the mind.
• Then, let the breath soften, let it become natural and just feel the gentle rise and fall of the belly and chest for a few more moments.
• When you feel settled, on an inhale begin to chant the word, “love” silently to yourself, while at the same time visualize the bud of a magnificent flower in the center of your chest. Imagine that the breath and the mantra are like sunshine and rain, nourishing the flower in the center of the chest causing it to blossom.
• When the flower is open, keep your attention on the flower in the center of your chest and breathe. Stay here for 15-30 min.

Namasté,