Infuse your Holidays with Spirit!

Here are some suggestions to spiritualize your Holiday experience and feel more deeply connected to the spirit of the season.

1. If buying gifts for others is what you do, bless each person that will receive a gift of yours, even if it is just a small token of appreciation.

2. Make a small altar with images of Jesus or other Masters of Light. Connect with the inner Christ consciousness these masters exemplify to you and ask to partake of this awareness.

3.Balance the time you celebrate the season in social settings with time spent in quiet contemplation. Too often we allow social occasions to take over, leaving us feeling tired and spent. Quiet time recharges your spirit, so you can have more light-hearted fun with friends and family.

4. Make a conscious decision to avoid all excess during the month of December: moderation in all things supports your inner balance; excess of food, drink and entertainment can be hard on the body and toxic to the mind.

5. Honor the religious and spiritual traditions of other cultures by learning more about other world religions. Could you read a page from a holy book you are not familiar with, and find a message of peace and goodwill in it?

6. The Winter Solstice is an ancient tradition that celebrates the return of the light. Join in Solstice Celebrations that include meditation and maybe music as well.

7. Enjoy lighting daily a special Christmas candle or small votive light. The longest night of the year also marks the return of the light; a wonderful analogy to our inner world that includes times of darkness.

8. Reach out to those in need and give of your time and compassion. You will soon be filled with the true spirit of giving: the gift of your time and devotion to helping those less fortunate. Reach out to those who might be ill or lonely during the holiday season. Even a short visit or a personal card can make a big difference.

9. Pamper your senses with the sounds and smells of the season: joyful music can be a great antidote to stress, and the scent of a holiday cookie brings out the inner kid to play.

10. Be a Secret Santa.  Perform a hidden act of random kindness by providing a gift, favor, or service to a friend or stranger, but do it in secret, with no expectation of acknowledgement or thanks for your "good deed", no recognition of who you are or what you did.  Keep it to yourself, don't ever tell friends or the recipient about what you did, and don't expect anything to change in your relationship to the recipient.  This is just between you and God! This practice will reinforce your strength in being a force for good in the world.  Some people make a point of doing this every day of the year!