| > | | | | Catching moods before they become attitudes will |
| The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is | | | | help you tolerate the pace and avoid |
| joyful for some people and stressful for others. If | | | | Scroogeness. |
| you begin to feel pressured by a need to give | | | | 6. Jonathan Livingston Seagull pointed out that |
| just the right gift or the perfect holiday meal, | | | | every negative thought becomes an energetic |
| perhaps these commonsensical birds of Christmas | | | | chain around our necks and part of who we are. |
| will re-mind you to peaceful balance. | | | | To break the chain, join a happy flock of seagulls |
| So often we forget that the real gift of the | | | | at a church or spiritual study group with a clear |
| season is each and every one of us--which means | | | | focus on the "reason for the season." AA and NA |
| you! | | | | groups also celebrate the holidays with personal |
| 1. Fly like an eagle to the heights of inspiration and | | | | and spiritual clarity. |
| soar into the Spirit of the holidays. Winging along | | | | 7. The bright red cardinal cheers everyone with |
| the currents of joy inspires an effortless flow of | | | | his color and verve. Be a light unto the world and |
| creative ideas. From the eagle's higher | | | | you will attract light to yourself as well. |
| perspective, with our hearts as big as the world, | | | | 8. Love the little chickadees running and shrieking |
| we see the divine right solution to any question or | | | | with holiday abandon. This is easier to appreciate if |
| challenge. Don't let the ducks of trivia peck at | | | | you sit on Santa's lap and pull his/her beard. |
| your feet. Soar like the eagle that you are! | | | | Empathy opens to love for these little birds, who |
| 2. While gathering gifts, duck the holiday rush by | | | | are typically small, busy and cute. |
| floating on the waters of your creativity. Why not | | | | 9. Shy away like a tender sparrow from family |
| give your loved ones a basket of goodies filled | | | | gossip. Your quick, bright optimism will shift the |
| with valued photographs, a card written from the | | | | conversation to happier themes and teach your |
| heart, a jar of homemade jam, movie tickets, a | | | | children well. |
| life-changing book from your library? Creative fun | | | | 10. The four-and-twenty blackbirds sang when the |
| makes this gift sing. You could also duck crowded | | | | pie was opened--not when the cook put them in |
| malls (unless you like them!) by ordering children's | | | | it! Sweets and overeating are customary, but too |
| gifts from catalogues. Let your (webbed) fingers | | | | much of a good thing is not a good thing. Be in |
| do the walking by searching online for creative | | | | your body, with every bite, and put down your |
| toys that will make a difference in the lives of the | | | | fork when it's time to do so. Eat healthy and well! |
| children you love. | | | | 11. When people are clucking like chickens about |
| 3. Laugh like a cuckoo bird. My grandson, at age 3, | | | | the state of the world, don't embroil yourself in |
| said, "Granny! I love to laugh. Let's laugh!" and we | | | | barnyard pecking. Walk between the positive and |
| laughed crazily at absolutely nothing--which, of | | | | negative worlds of duality by being the rooster |
| course, was funny in itself. We had a rollicking | | | | crowing at the dawn of awakening on our planet. |
| good time and felt great afterward. You will, too. | | | | It is as real as you make it. |
| 4. Aware that anger and hurt distort our | | | | 12. The dove of peace is only a meditation away, |
| perceptual abilities, goose yourself when the going | | | | especially as the year comes to a close. |
| gets rough--especially during gatherings of friends | | | | Remember to spend quiet time reviewing the |
| and family. This is the Buddhist art of "stopping." | | | | events of 2003 and to set your intentions for |
| Simply notice what upset you and later on, when | | | | 2004, in order to materialize what you want and |
| you are calm, determine how to address or | | | | need to feel happy, whole and free (which, |
| remedy the problem. A stitch in time...uh, makes a | | | | technically, you already are). It's not just the Nov. |
| good feather bed. | | | | 8-23 Harmonic Concordance that brings us to light, |
| 5. Be like the great blue heron and fish in the deep | | | | it's also the new birth celebrated at Christmastime |
| waters of meditation for the food of life--comfort | | | | and on December 31. May you soar on golden |
| and companionship--when you feel hungry, angry, | | | | wings of light through this and every year! |
| lonely or tired (indicators that it's time to HALT). | | | | |