The Holy Days

I know, the holidays are done for now. We are moving into January, a new year and all of that, but I wanted to take a moment to share some of my Holy-Day reflections from this year. For myself I find that Holy-Days are an opportunity for healing. I find anytime the family gets together, those are Holy Days. And let's be real here...actually, all of our days are Holy. Meaning there is the opporunity for us to touch someone else in a meaningful way, for us to reveal our woundedness and perhaps work on healing it, and even to share our love with those around us. Communion with others, that is Holy, healing, yes that's Holy and of course sharing love, well of course that is what Holiness is all about, LOVE.

So following the theme this year gifted to me at vision quest, to be more gentle with myself I found the Holy Days to be more Holy! Wow! Who knew that being more gentle on myself would mean I would be more pleasant to be around? How does that work? Well, it relieved so much of the pressure I was always putting on myself to be the perfect wife, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, hostess, chef, gift giver, the list goes on and on... you can imagine. So, this year I was successful at NOT casting myself in the role of martyr for the Holy Day celebrations. Along with that role, I also was able to release the requisite melt down, either with tears or anger before the guests arrived on Christmas Eve. Gone was the pressure to be perfect, and in its place was a joyful heart and a desire to enjoy myself, to love the day, and to love everyone I was blessed to have joining us for this Holy Day.

As I looked at everyone seated around the dinner table and listened to their conversation, I was able to just be. To be present and enjoy their company. To be in the moment, to love and be loved, and even love myself. To realize that in being hard on myself I was judging myself. When we judge, we displace love, so by being gentle on myself, I am loving myself. By loving myself, I am healing myself and my family. Then I was reminded of the legacy I am giving my children. That they too can go forth and enjoy the Holy Days when they are the ones hosting and hostessing. Just as my mother took the role handed to her by her mother and she improved upon those Holy Days and made them loving and memorable for all of us, I have been able to take that role and allow it to evolve in my care, and I smile sweetly to imagine how my children will evolve and grow The Holy Days when it is their turn.

Every day is a Holy Day, and we all have special opportunities to improve ourselves and the world around us, by being more gentle with ourselves, and allowing the love to shine through. Imagine the power of those days when we are lucky enough to gather together with those we love, those seem to be Uber Holy Days with more people to touch, and deeper connections to be made, with love.

Sending you Love for a Holy Day! Today and All Days!

Return from Vision Quest

I have been out of the electronic loop for about two weeks now. There has been much going on, but first and foremost I was away doing a vision quest. It was a wonderful experience. This was my second year, I am now halfway through a four year commitment. The process is fairly simple, three days of purification lodges, 1,250 prayer ties, for everyone you know or have ever known, and then 24 hours of prayer and fasting outside in a secluded sacred place.

When you commit to do something like this, you are giving a gift to those you know and love, and often there will be "gifts" for you in return. It takes some time to assimilate all the gifts from such an experience, but at this point, there are a few reminders which have surfaced that I thought I would share.

The first one is the reminder that we are not alone. We are surrounded by loved ones who care about us, seen and unseen. There is The Great Mystery. Whatever you choose to call the Higher Power in your own way, and all those angels and guides, as well as all the dear ones we surround ourselves with, family and friends. However this presents itself in your life, I am reminded to have an attitude of gratitude for all these blessings.

The second reminder is a bit more challenging, I find myself looking at it several times a day. That is the reminder to be more gentle with ourselves, and with those around us. We judge ourselves so harshly. We expect so much of ourselves, and then find fault again and again, forever looking for the flaws, rather than noticing and celebrating our successes, in all ways. The better we are able to practice this, the more we improve the world from the inside out. The more gentle we are with ourselves, the more gentle we are with others; friends, family and strangers. The more relaxed and comfortable we are in our own skin, the more we enjoy our lives. Thus the ripple effect goes out from us, improving our outlook on life, and infecting those around us with the ease and grace we walk with.

There are more gifts which have come from my vision quest, but this is a good start.

With love and blessings... Peace and love be with you.