Tag: meditation

The Nervous System and the Earth element

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A lady I know for many years shared with me in a conversation that she recently treated herself to a pedicure treatment at a local salon. It is one of those little things that can add a spark of the ‘feel good’ factor to our body, just by having the feet looked after. To see the momentary joy and expression of lightness on her face was enjoyable for me, too, and, while listening, my mind was transported to previous years around the same time, coming up to Christmas. It is again that time of the year when the body and what we have and own comes into focus. Paying attention to the feet can remind us of our connection with the Earth; with every step we take the body is carried by the feet and supported by the earth.

Like my conversation partner, who has become more aware of her feet, we perhaps are inclined to be more aware of our bodies at this time of the year. It is winter, the automatic inclination to put more clothes on wakes me up to the need to feel warm and cosy. Whether it is preparing hot and hearty meals, enjoying the Christmas lights around the house, getting busy with preparations, children looking forward to their Christmas presents, whatever you enjoy doing at this time, it can be special.

With the body coming into focus, some of us may feel a tendency to sleep more and be less physically active around this time of the year. An enriching perspective on the Earth element in the body constitution, called Kapha dosha, can be found in Ayurvedic medicine, which I have been mentioning in my previous blogs as it offers so much knowledge in the area of wellness. Follow this link to learn and understand more about Kapha dosha: https://www.acheloawellness.com/post/kapha-dosha-for-stress-relief

To read about how each of the four elements, including the Earth have specific roles in maintaining our mental health in better balance, please follow this link of an article from the Frontiers in Psychiatry Journal, USA, 2019: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6491965/

The Earth: all living creatures, the body, people, plants, the environment.

The Earth: values, goods, money, beauty, being together, relationships, patience, presence, nurturing, what we love and believe in.

Everywhere there are differences between what different people own and have to enjoy or share at this time, not only materially but psychologically, too.

Some days, walking outside I open my eyes and ears to find a little smile somewhere, to hear a little bird chirping, or a kind look on somebody’s face. Sometimes, if I am present enough, and if my mind is not preoccupied with something from the past, or of an imagined future, then a smile, a bird or an expression of kindness appear. Sometimes what feels kind is just a branch of a tree magically lowering in the passing breeze. Other times, when the mind is “lost in translation” of past situations, people and circumstances, it can make me oblivious to the possibility of engaging with that which may bring joy in the moment. It seems as if the kindness, the smile or the bird’s chirping mostly manifest when there is a relationship, even a momentary one; a relationship conditioned by presence.

I am curious what your lived experience is on this, and so I will firstly share mine. This month I have experienced more kindness and loving attention from strangers, than I have known during the whole year. Whether it is a coincidence or not, whether it is given with a purpose in mind or unconditionally, these are questions to be found probably only in the mind of the one who perceives. In the last few weeks some people seem to be more openly showing kindness and appreciation to one another. At the same time, equally, my positive thinking has been quite challenged in other kinds of circumstances.

My next thought is wondering about the tools that support the mind in staying more present to receive the ‘good vibes’ regardless of where they comes from. The one tool I know and cherish is meditation, in its different forms. If you resonate with what meditation can offer, then there are endless possibilities to embrace it. The more you practice it, the more you appreciate it. Below is a link for a meditation on connecting with the Earth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=590v2PKW4BY

This year will be ending soon, symbolically, if we stick to the calendars and the seasons, yet, suppose that some of what we experienced will be naturally flowing into the New Year, is the year really ending?

If we set our intention to be more in a state of flow going into the new year, which echoes from the recent past do we wish to carry over the threshold?

I recently listened to a talk in which the speaker referred to the question of what it takes for a person to make good changes in oneself for the benefit of all. She highlighted that although we have many brilliant ideas and theories about what we should or could do, ultimately the change becomes manifest when it is flowing from the heart. This can, of course, be argued, as some people say: “Fake it till you make it.” Maybe there is a lot of sincerity in faking something before it becomes natural. Some of us learn better through repetition. There are different approaches to arriving at a desired destination, in the way our life journeys are different.

So, what is the way that has worked, or is beginning to work for you in your life, when you wish to make progress in a certain area? What is one part of your life that you are seeing yourself as a learner, or where you are continuing to experiment? What helps you make the kind of progress that is beneficial to you and those around you?

For me, no matter how many times I say to myself, ‘now, remember to say or do this differently’, unless I am ready in my heart to receive effortlessly that different perspective that feels closer to a desired truth, I still walk in the old footsteps. Doing things in the old way may not be wrong, but may not propel a person further along the way either.

This year what we are, believe in, love, have and own have come so much in the foreground of our awareness, that it has shaken many foundations, personally, relationally and in society. Questions such as which opinion is right, who to trust, who to dismiss, and who to turn to for advice, have been asked.

What is intriguing though is the impact that asking these questions over and over again for two full years, can have on our mental health, and particularly, you have guessed if you read my previous blogs, the nervous system. It is part of being human to question and seek meaning and stability, however, when these conversations move through someone’s mind repeatedly, I wonder what it does to the mind, firstly, and secondly, to the actions of the person who owns the mind? Is the questioning making the mind stronger or more scattered? Or are we collapsing under the pressure of the duality and of the natural mysteries we have lived in for the past two years? Or maybe not finding externally all the answers to the essential questions can naturally boost our own ability to find solutions internally? Anyway, this conversation remains open.

Just like the Sun’s light seems to have changed its trajectory and, (if we imagine that) it must be shining in a different way from somewhere else, maybe we, too, may be able re-view our thinking trajectory in living with the surrounding mysteries happening in these times.

“If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted like trees.” Rainer Maria Rilke

Wishing you peace and stability this Christmas and beyond!

Merry Christmas!

The Nervous System and the Air element

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Perhaps the most elusive of the four elements, Fire, Water, Air and Earth, is the one that travels the fastest and whose lightness allows it to move easily through matter in many of its forms. It is the element that is mostly associated with the nervous system in the Ayurvedic medicine. Air makes the Breath of Life possible; apparently a baby takes its first breath within ten seconds of birth and air is released with the last breath at death.

It is invisible to our eyes unless we engage with it with our other senses, maybe noticing a refreshing breeze on the face as we are walking outside, cycling against the wind, or practicing breathing exercises. Sometimes it is just sitting calmly and quietly that one can feel and hear their breath most clearly, without any effort. In Ayurveda, the manifestation of the air element within the human constitution is called Vata dosha. Having access to clean, fresh air is recognised as beneficial not only as a general wellbeing booster, but also essential to the lungs and nervous system.

“Vatha is considered to be of prime importance with regard to the nervous system. The vatha dosha represents movement, and is identified with the prana vayu (one of the five types of vatha that resides in the head and governs reasoning, learning, creativity, reception of information, interpretation of and reaction to signals, consciousness). One of the prime indications of vatha imbalance for sensitive people is anxiety. Anxiety can arrest our creativity and attention significantly. Unresolved anxiety can convert into chronic debilitating stress. Vatha needs a balance between stability and movement to be effective.” http://www.ayurvedakendra.in/healing-therapies/nervous-system-problems/

When in harmony with the air element, you may experience some of its refreshing and life giving qualities such as easy communication through speaking and singing, ability to move around easily, enjoying hearing and being receptive to sounds, inspiration and creativity. A balanced movement of the air in someone’s mental and emotional constitution supports easy socializing, collaboration with others, freedom to express oneself or share, and to consider different perspectives. Being inventive, inspired and enjoying the ability to learn are also associated with the movement of the air element through the mind and body. Other times, in the presence of unbalanced mental or physical activity, there may be an experience of feeling scattered or difficulty in focusing. There may be restlessness, forgetfulness, feeling lightheaded, ungrounded and volatile. It seems to be a matter of balance, after all.

It is interesting how since early last year the air element has come so much into the foreground of people’s awareness, as, with good reason, we began to be concerned about the quality of the air inhaled. Air is something that we all share when in close proximity and even from a distance. As it circulates everywhere unseen and unheard, we are bathed in air in every moment; so much in constant contact with it, as with the earth that we touch with every step we take. As for the plant world, think about all the plants and crops that depend on the wind force for pollination.

Air, somewhat like water, is breaking through boundaries and obstacles. And in its human manifestation, even boldly breaking social norms, like in the following scene from the ‘Gone with the Wind’ movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgq_ia-1GzI

Paying attention to our relationship with the air element is perhaps one of the least practical things on our ‘to do’ list, yet, when for whatever reason, the air is not moving freely through body, it is likely that we would feel it at some level, physically, mentally or emotionally, and then we will know what is important. For example some of the symptoms associated with anxiety include shallow breath, reduced ability to breathe, choking feeling in the throat, shortness of breath, or rapid breathing and thinking.

So how does a person engage with the air element depending on their mental and emotional experience in the moment?

One way to become aware is to mindfully bring the attention to the quality of your breath and the movement of the mind when thoughts, emotions and sensations are present. It can be a huge step, and quite different than how we have our minds trained, which is normally to cling to the pleasant and push away the distressing experience. The different step is like going up one level from knowing that you are upset or angry, for example, to being open to knowing how you are breathing. It takes a momentary shift of awareness.

Feeling grateful for being able to take a deep breath when tension arises, sensing the release of air through the outbreath when feeling relief, or just needing to inhale more deeply at other times, this is how intimately we are all connected to air. How long can a person survive without air? I am not keen on finding out.

Click the following link to practice a meditation on the air element and to find out what air offers to humans and the planet, or how we can bring balance to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72-nUK9GPms

Moving freely between the Sky and the Earth, air is connecting one to the other, just like in a relationship. The image that comes to mind for this relationship is a messenger carrying messages between the Earth and the Sky. When somebody feels positively inspired, they may find ways of creating a happy medium between their human beliefs, ideas and values on one side, and their complex earthly human reality on the other side. You may agree or disagree with this, that in the way many of us have been trained to think and live, it seems that finding balance in living can be an ongoing challenging process.

Wondering about what possibilities there are out there in the arts field to move forward with the question concerning air and balance, I was glad to find the following clip from the same movie as above, featuring actress Vivien Leigh in her role as Scarlett O’Hara listening carefully to her inner messages. Can being on the verge of despair lead to sparks of inspiration or insights that feel like “a breath of fresh air”? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ5ICXMC4xY

Wishing you easy breathing and earthly hope this winter!

The Nervous system and the Fire element

LuminitaLeave a comment

Good memories of being with people on a campfire several years ago have recently returned to mind bringing back shared experiences of warmth, colour and joy. It happens in those moments when warm energy circulating between people creates connection, laughter and lasting memories.

Fire in the form of light, warmth or heat have their place in human experience, as much as the other elements such as water, air, space and earth have. Try thinking of a warm sunny day and how that may influence the mind and mood. What is in the nature of sun light that makes one feel more alive? What comes to your mind when you think of fire? What memories are showing up? Is the fire element and its heat something that is pleasing to you, or may be difficult to be around?

There is an internal fire in each of us and in any life form, making it possible for us to get going and maintain some enthusiasm alive. And there are external fires, like a fireplace, or campfires that people warm up around and have a good time together singing, dancing and telling jokes, or those that get out of control and can destroy entire forests and regions, like the recent wildfires in Greece and California.

Unlike the external fire or wildfires, the internal fire may not always be seen or heard until it reaches a level when the person living with it it feels something like some of the following symptoms and sensations: burnout, heartburn, burning sensation, having a fiery reaction, burning ears, feeling on fire, hot and bothered, being under fire, etc. Or, some can be experienced as healthy and positive, such as having a sunny disposition, warm-hearted, feeling fired-up about something, getting along like a house on fire, etc.

For example, the expression “to have fire in your belly” indicates a positive use of the fire element, while “adding fuel to the fire” refers to an excess of fiery energy in a situation. It is so interesting how the various degrees of the fire element in our constitution, feelings and actions have so much influence over people and situations.

Maybe you can remember a recent scenario that brought some heat to your mind, causing you to feel overheated mentally or physically. Anger is usually associated with intense mental heat, while calmness with feeling coolness, although we are all different and can experience emotions in atypical ways as well.

Some people like to gaze at an open fire or just at a candle light, and this gentle gazing can bring on a meditative state.  Meditating on a certain object such as a candle light can have a cleansing effect both on the vision and the mind. This reminds of the connection between the above effects of the fire element in meditation and the ones of the catharsis concept as a therapeutic process of “burning” and releasing of emotions and behaviours associated with unacknowledged trauma; the word originates from a Greek term meaning purging and cleansing.

Follow this link https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/fire-good-make-human-inspiration-happen-132494650/ for an informative article offering a perspective on the effect of fire on human life and the development of the mind over time.

The fire element, called Pitta dosha in Ayurveda, in a person’s mental and physical constitution may be associated with tenacity, strength, warmth, compassion and light-hearted disposition when balanced, while an excess of fire tends to lead to hot emotions, anger, agression, skin disorders and impatience. Follow these links to access more information about understanding the power of the fire element in somebody’s constitution: https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/learning-ayurveda/understanding-your-constitution/pitta/, and https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/blog-the-banyan-insight/details/exploring-the-elementsfire/.

It goes without saying that Fire does not exist in isolation either in nature or in living beings, but is complemented by water, air, space, earth and perhaps many other elements in various forms and degrees. Together they create a dance of energy that is unique to each place and each individual. Imagine the sound of flowing water, the sight of a big campfire, the soft touch of a gentle breeze on your face, the spaciousness of an open field, and the solidity of the ground beneath your feet. What are the unique experiences felt when being in contact with each of these elements?

A balanced degree of fire in somebody’s temperament and physical body contributes to a harmonious functioning of the nervous system, while an over-heated mind may lead to insomnia, intense emotions, restlessness and an attitude of intolerance.

Being curious about how the nervous system is impacted by various states of mind and how they are naturally connected, I have come across interesting information, which I am sharing in the link below. An over-heated state of mind manifests certain tendencies, which are described in the same article, with suggestions regarding how to harmonise the fire element internally. https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/symptoms/Mind-Stress-Sleep

Meditation, as an ancient tradition remains one of the well-tested methods of cooling the nervous system and that internal fire that may be burning too much energy in the mind or body. It is particularly useful for creating a calming internal mental space away from the daily pressures or demands, or indeed, the ones we put on ourselves. Using the anchor of the breath as a focus for your sitting meditative practice can be particularly helpful when experiencing an overactive mind state. And, like any other practice, investing time in it will show the results.

As Fire lives in all of us, for what it is, a part of the synergy of all elements forming our collective, yet unique human physical, mental and spiritual make-up, it deserves warm 🙂 attention.

Here’s a synergistic creation of the elements of fire and water with sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftm2uv7-Ybw

May your Fire burn bright.

The Nervous System and our relationship with water

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Included, “Inner Sea Sounds Meditation” step-by-step instructions

Do you remember a time in your childhood when placing a large spiral seashell over your ear you could hear a sound reminding of the waves rolling onto the seashore?

It is one of those sounds that, once experienced, may remain in the long-term memory. The most common scientific explanation for this kind of sound seems to be that the ambient noise caught into the shell creates the wave-like sound frequency inside the ear.

For many people, being beside a water body, be it a lake, river, the sea, or the ocean, can be an experience that relaxes the body and mind bringing a sense of peace and calmness. You may be one of many who can access a water body physically and tune into its energy, movement, colour, smells, sounds and sights. Water has the gift of bringing the human mind back “home”. And if you do not have a water body on your doorstep, or cannot travel to the water, there are other ways to access the ocean or the sea by going Inside rather than Outside, which will be described further on in this Blog post by inviting you to experience a meditation practice.

Whether it is the stillness of water or the wild wave that is enchanting you, what have you noticed about how your mood or thoughts change in the presence of water? Some people feel more meditative, artists more imaginative, children more playful, families more connected, sports people more adventurous, or simply laying down by the water with nothing to do and nowhere to go can bring about a sense of wellbeing.

Other gifts of water are its fluidity and ability to nourish. Like no other element, water can get anywhere and move through anything overtime. No wonder human life begins and develops in the safe medium of water. In human history the oceans have been a source of nourishment as well as being essential to the continuity of life; water is also the main component of the human body.

How could it be possible that being in, around or on water can make us feel more calm, connected or creative?

Developing an interest in the mysterious effect that water has on the human mind, I came across the “blue mind concept” introduced by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist who wrote the book entitled “Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do”. His theory backed up by neuroscience and real stories told by people from different walks of life suggests that being in contact with water is like medicine, and in many ways restorative to humans’ health, relationships and communities. One of his messages is that enjoying and taking care of the water bodies, for the benefit of our mental health and the planet, we protect that which sustains life carried by the water element.

In the video below, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols describes the “blue mind” concept in an interview.

Blue Mind: Water is medicine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMi-vlAmSEg.

More information about the blue mind can be found in the Resources at the end of the Blog.

How does this all apply to daily life in practice?

When life shakes us up, to push us to change at the right time and in the right place, with the precision of the moving hands of a clock, there is no escape from the ensuing chaos, anxiety or confusion settling in pretty quickly. The nervous system is then challenged while the entire human system is seeking homeostasis.

Indian Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine have fascinating approaches on the element of water. According to Chinese medicine, in times of stress, if the water element becomes unbalanced in the body, certain organs may be affected: kidneys, urinary bladder, knees, bones and joints. The corresponding psychological symptoms may be: a sense of isolation, fear, detachment, or feeling scattered and disconnected. A healthy flow of the water element in the body manifests through feeling unconditional love, a sense of being in the life flow, sensibility, inclusivity, tenacity, tolerance, endurance and humility. Working at bringing the water element back into balance in relation to the other elements seems to be important in the process of self-regulation.

The same idea of helping a stressed nervous system back into balance but through meditation, reminds me of one of the instructions given at a meditation retreat led by Sogyal Rimpoche, which I attended over 10 years ago in Dzogchen Beara Retreat Centre, Beara Peninsula in south-west Ireland, and it sounded like this:

“Water, if you do not stir it, will become clear”. Clear minds are like clear waters.

Over the past few months, the Inner Sounds Meditation came about spontaneously while I was practicing in an environment that was less conducive to what I thought was needed for inner peace and introspection. Life is such that sometimes we have no choice but to work with what is.  The following is what resulted from the practice. Below, are the step-by-step instructions for the meditation. Enjoy!

The Inner Sea Sounds Meditation

With the help of today’s sophisticated human body technology :), and making use of the following supports listed below, you can be with the sea sounds without holding a sea shell, physically being on the sea shore, or accessing the sounds digitally. There is a lot going on inside the body, and that is inclusive of the sea sounds.

This meditation may be helpful anytime and particularly when experiencing tiredness, stress or anxiety.

Please note:

If you suffer from head/neck/ears injuries or vertigo, or are unsure if this exercise is suitable for you, please seek medical advice before commencing.

What you need:

  • a reasonably quiet room
  • your presence and some of your time
  • a light scarf, hat or fabric head band to wrap around your head and cover your ears
  • ear plugs
  • a mat to sit on or a comfortable chair
  • a pashmina, or light blanket to wrap around your body& neck or use clothing that reaches up to the back of your head

Introduce the ear plugs in your ears, put the scarf on and wrap up the pashmina around you.

Begin by sitting in a comfortable meditation position or on a chair, with your back straight. Directing your attention inside the body. Taking a few deep conscious breaths, relaxing your shoulders, the head and the neck. Allowing the hands to rest on your knees or laps. Allowing the breathing to move through your body from the head to the toes. Closing your eyes if that feels good. Feeling the weight of your body as it is fully supported by the ground or the chair.

Slowly& gently begin rolling your head by moving it down towards the chest and to the left ear, rolling it to the back as far as it is comfortable, and to the right ear, making a smooth, full circle. Continuing to making circles in this anti clockwise direction a few times or as long as it seems appropriate. Paying attention to what you are hearing inside your ears. After some time pausing to rest.

Changing the direction, bringing the head down and towards the right ear, and to the back, and continuing rolling it in a clockwise direction. The circles drawn with your head can be as wide or as small as it feels comfortable. Listening from the inside and taking in the sounds. What are the sounds like? Do they remind you of anything? Whatever the memory, image, sensation, thought or mood, take a moment to notice it arriving, maybe lingering for a while and moving away in its own time. Noticing how it feels in your body to be with this experience.

Beginning to include the awareness of your breathing in the exercise by consciously allowing it to flow naturally through your body during the head rolls. If any tension is present in any part of the body, you may choose to pause and rest, or make an intention to bring the attention to that part of the body with kindness or a soft approach, and make the necessary adjustments.

Allowing your head to return to the middle position and coming to an end of the meditation. Bringing your attention back to the entire body, how it is sitting, sensations and moods that may be present. Making small movements with your fingers and toes, opening the eyes and returning your full attention to the here and now. Congratulating yourself for making the time to re-connect with your “inner sea” sounds.

Links for resources:

Irish Coast Sounds video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUURHJnztJM

Saying Goodbye to stress video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIyz1lGS2zs

Introduction to Blue Mind with Dr. Wallace J Nichols video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqy7xRPnp9I

Do you know what the sea is able to do? A poem by Irish poet, Pat Ingoldsby: https://www.marine.ie/Home/sites/default/files/MIFiles/Images/Comms/Pat%20Ingoldsby.pdf

Blossoming through a broken place

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An online mindfulness meditation retreat attended earlier this month was an event that came at a good time of the year and brought with it renewed space for reflection, kindness and connection. Practicing meditation in a group can be one of the most enriching experiences. The Retreat was organised by the Passaddhi Meditation Centre, https://www.passaddhi.com/, and taught by Marjó Oosterhof, Meditation Teacher. Something from this experience I would like to share about here.

An exercise, we, as a group, were invited to do in our own physical space was to do mindful walking meditation and notice three aspects of the walk that brought joy to each of us. Off I went on my walk. The sun was shining outside and its light pierced through any leftover thoughts that were there internally before beginning the walk.

In mindfulness meditation, whatever comes to the attention of the meditator, is part of the landscape of awareness: no need to add or take away anything. The practice can bring up some pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral parts of life, and it is worth taking the risk to let all of it in. And this time, being asked to notice things that brought joy, was something like being invited to dip into the jar of honey, for those who love honey.

Walking by a line of trees along the road, the first thing coming to the attention was that they looked so young; the same trees, dry and brown, and that had no leaves on them just two months before. Such a transformation! Then, the mind found an explanation for what was seen, and it said quietly: “It is spring, after all”.

Being close to the trees felt like a privilege. So, the next natural step was to come even closer to them. They seemed quiet and grounded, enjoying the peace around, and as if nothing was able to move them. The tree closest to me was just like the others, the same type and hight, yet, something was different about it. On one of its branches, a twig looked almost ready to fall. Half split from its branch at a lower angle, it gave the impression that it was broken but still hanging in there, yet, a bud was blossoming from it, like from all the other twigs on the tree. Quite confusing. Moving in closer, I could see that the broken place had already healed and the twig was now securely attached to the branch although it did not look like it from a distance. Then I “twigged” that it was healed enough for the life energy to travel from the roots of the tree, to its branches, to the twig and into the bud. It felt joyful to see how life found its way in.

Can a twig that had been previously broken become securely attached to its tree again? This one did. Nature has such a quiet way of practicing being alive! Had I not moved in closer, the truth of the twig would not have been seen. And, who knows, how many other twigs share the same story? Who knows how many minds are tempted to judge things as they seem, only to discover that there is something else hiding behind the surface? Or, could it be that it is in human nature not to give up on hope for life even when the reality appears to be broken at the surface?

“Under a cherry tree, there are no strangers”. (Kobayashi Issa, Japanese poet)

Lighting up your candle this Christmas

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Approaching Christmas time this year running around, walking, strolling, driving, flying or just staying at home, whatever route you choose to take to arrive, is a journey in itself. This Christmas is different for most people who have been touched by the changes of 2020.

Not knowing can be as painful as knowing something that feels painful. But the not knowing how life will turn out has the surprise element added to it.

I wonder if a rose bud feels any pain in the process of opening into a rose. Does it ask itself when and how it should open? What would happen to it if it opens?

Unlike the rosebud, many of us think a lot about opening up in new and uncertain circumstances. Maybe some questions asked deep inside the mind are:

Would it be safe? Will I be protected? What would happen to me and my family? What would people think of me?

This is also the beauty of an inner creative space. A space where personal and collective choices become essential.

If you feel that this year much or some of the experiences, people or things you hoped to have in your life have been taken away from you, then it is natural to also feel grief, sadness and loss.

Yet, looking around, there are many people who seem happy and content. At least in those moments of showing themselves, they were enjoying a loving partner, satisfaying work, the support of their family, a comfortable home environment, or just appreciating nature by taking in the sight of the green grass and the birds’ joy to be alive. Is joy as contagious as sadness is?

The shaking up of our inner and outer worlds this year has led to more inequality and gaps in the outer systems and the supports needed for those most in need of care and attention. And the shaking up reaches places deep inside, too. Maybe, you too, feel deprived of something, it does not have to be material things, it may be around missing a relationship, a place, or being unable to be with those close to you. And what is it like for you when you meet or see somebody who has what you would like? Rather than getting annoyed or envious, or allowing anger to grow in your mind and heart, why not consider something different?

When you experience some of the above, it may help to let other perspectives in, to widen the narrow or dark spaces where the mind can get caught up in for too long sometimes. Meditation surely helps to widen those spaces.

Mudita is a practice originating in the Buddhist meditation tradition. A Sanskrit word meaning joy, particularly sympathetic joy or the pleasure derived from delighting in the good fortune and well-being of others. Cultivating the feeling of altruistic joy through the practice of Mudita not only helps you to experience a more peaceful state of mind, but may also transfer to whoever or whatever you come in contact with during the festive season.

Feeling happy for those who are still enjoying the blessings of material abundance, high spirits, good health, family or loving relationships may be a place to start lighting up some joy in your heart.

Create your own miracle. Light up a candle inside yourself this Christmas and be curious about what happens!

Merry Christmas everyone!