Be present by taking a moment to simply pay attention to your breath. Notice the difference between being connected at a feeling level to your breath and your body versus being immersed in the thoughts in your head. Recognize the choice that you have. It is not a requirement to be a hyper-rational being all the time.

Hugging is most effective when you stay in the embrace for a minute or longer. Let the natural relaxation move through you and take hold. Too often our hugs are for show. Pay attention to that pat on the back that accompanies your hug, or the other person’s hug to you. Be the change you want to be by hugging deeply and genuinely.

As you navigate the moments of the day, consider paying attention to the quality of your thoughts. Does judgement creep in? Are there negative thoughts, or interpretations of situations and events that are less than complimentary? Again, consider the choice that exists in terms of what you choose to think, and how you interpret things.

Donate food, donate the basics of life; food, shelter, community. Consider how every act supports or denigrates clean air and clean water. Recognize when you have a choice about your impact. We all act out of, and live in a reality largely created by our unconscious  beliefs about what we can and can not do. Yet, upon examination, many of these beliefs simply do not hold, or are not ideally what we would choose given the opportunity. Is this an opportunity? What do you choose. Self deception can be defined as not paying attention to what our heart tells us to do, and then striving to rationalize and justify the abdication.

We are all immersed in a larger system that vibrates with accumulated energy. Our role is to bring the energy we choose to that system, offer it with gratitude and consider the opportunity to remain detached from expectations of how our contribution is received or reflected by the system. To thine own self be true. I have coined the term ‘Deep Narcissism’, meant to reflect an interpretation of so-called narcissism that might counter the a more negative view that can inhibit an experience of the power we each have to feel, live and express our deepest, most passionate humanity. Don’t fall for it. Humor helps.

Make love. Often. That impulse? Consider spending time recognizing how it may have been made wrong or bad for you in some way. The fact is, our sexuality has been co-opted by the infinite growth economy to sell things in support of a system that is destroying the living planet. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t work for me.

Be the light. Comment on this blog. Share it. Write a blog. Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. The spirit in me recognizes the spirit in you. Namaste. And Merry Christmas. Many thanks to Jesus of Nazareth and the truth that he stood for as I understand it.