Softening Within: A Meditation for Warmth & Joy


This morning I sit on a woodsy dining room chair, savoring a hot cup of tea and watching the golden hues of the sunrise weaving its magical light through the pine trees.  I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to witness this special moment and grateful to share it with you today.

I am lucky to be celebrating the start of the holiday season in one of my favorite places in the world, my family’s cabin in the mountains of Arizona.  Modern Thanksgiving is heralded as the holiday of gratitude, and I am so grateful to be in this peaceful place that I have loved since I was a child.

I am also eternally grateful for all of the beautiful places you have shared with me during our meditations throughout the years.  I deeply appreciate the opportunities I’ve had to glimpse into special moments in your life where you were filled with peace and excitement, moments where we are aware of who we truly are, soul moments.  With you, I have traveled the world, from the streets of Santorini to white sand Caribbean beaches to golden sunrises on mountain tops.  Thank you for sharing your journey with me.

And, as you already know, there are moments where our awareness is close to that peace and excitement within, and there are moments when our awareness is far from it.  But it’s our awareness that shifts, that light within is always there, always on.

During the stress of the holiday season, our moods and awareness can be far from peaceful.  There will be moments…long moments…stretching into days…and maybe even weeks…that will be overwhelming, and stressful.  Where instead of noticing the softness of the morning light, we are in our heads and filled with anxiety of the upcoming day, the family stress, the to-do list, not entirely sure how we’re going to survive the day. That’s okay and normal, I can safely say that we all go through that at some point this season (and all other seasons…).

When our heads are spinning and our minds feel like they might explode, it’s a sign that we need to take a time out, to take a few deep breaths and reset.  If you can, step outside and go for a conscious walk, breathe in fresh air, and notice, without judgement, your surroundings.

Sometimes taking a walk isn’t an option, or doesn’t seem like one, especially when we are swimming in the overwhelming chaos.  So if you can’t get outside to clear your head, find a space inside for yourself (use the bathroom or a closet if you have to…I have been there…many times), sit down, and breathe.
If you have a few more minutes, put your headphones on and listen to a meditation.  The meditation below reminds us to take a few deep breaths; offering a space to reset, renew, and recenter. To show up in these difficult moments in a space of softness, love, and compassion. To breathe through it, making space within for the warmth and joy this season has to offer.

 

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