First Day of Christmas

 Today is Christmas, but only the first day of Christmas (what Norwegians call 1. juledag). This is the start of the twelve-day festal tide adopted by the Christian Church: In 567 C.E. church leaders proclaimed the days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season.

Now my preparations are finished, and I can relax with my family, do a puzzle, eat, drink, and generally wallow in joyful abandon.

In some old traditions, this whole season is seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible. It's a good time to rest, reflect, and find peace within.

Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat

2. Light a candle for Love

3. Love reading

4. Plan love habits

5. Put Baby Jesus in the manger

6. Open Gifts

1. Christmas retreat:

I am again making the 12 Days of Christmas into a mini-retreat for myself, and using the Soyal Way of Being as a guide for my days; that is, I'm keeping Mother Earth in my thoughts as I move quietly and respectfully about my days, in order to establish the right mood for the coming year, and reach a unity of everything in the universe. 

I'm also doing some reading and writing every day, focusing on my priorities and what I'm called to do (or not do) next in my life. My plan is to contemplate, honor, and practice a different one of my life priorities on each of the 12 days, and set some goals and resolutions for 2024, based on guidance from God.

Today I am honoring Love and my receptive nature, all those yin qualities of being open, soft, gentle, unconditionally loving, nurturing, and trusting.

What is the condition of my marriage, family, and friend relationships?  What do they need of me this next year?

With whom am I struggling or feeling distant, and how can I open to healing our relationship?  

When problems and conflicts arise, do I try to resolve them in a timely fashion?

Do I keep my word, follow through with my responsibilities, speak truth, listen well, and show loyalty? What can I improve? How and when can I be kinder? 

Where in my life do I need to be more generous - giving freely of my time, energy, love, possessions, encouragement, laughter, hospitality, service, and forgiveness? 

How can I better love and care for myself? Can I manage my personality quirks with love and respect? 

How can I better show my love for the earth, for creation, and for God? 

2. Light a candle for Love:

I'm enjoying a daily prayer candle ceremony throughout my extended Christmas retreat, using small candles and candle ends, and will choose a new candle to add each day.

Today I light a red candle for love, and ask the Spirits to bring the rain of loving care down upon the whole world.

3. Love reading:

Today I'm reading again from "Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self," by Becca Piastrelli (2021). I'm reading from Chapter 7  - Making Meaningful Friendships.

Becca says that community and friendship are "critical in the fabric of humanity ... Even the beloved introverts among us require consistent connection in order to be well".

She goes on to describe how challenging it is to create new connections that truly nurture us. I was happy to read that she doesn't ascribe to the trendy idea of dumping our "toxic" relationships (which I think is a cop out). She says, "Sometimes it's worth your time and energy to be the catalyst that actively shifts the dynamic of a friendship from one of, let's say, criticism and shaming of others to one of mutual empathy and support and admiration".

4. Plan Love habits:

Christmas 2022

I'm starting the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year. My theme for today is Love; like the earth accepting the seed, and willing to nurture it. Love requires that I be open and available, and also requires that I do the work to care for what I receive.

I define Love as practicing the habits of listening, generosity, patience, care, and kindness with my community, my family, and the earth. Love goals might have to do with improving my loving relationship with my family, or with enriching self-love, or just being more openhearted and receptive in general. Also, I can use the image of being a fertile earth mother when I am nurturing something new in my life.

My ideas so far for love goals next year:

• Continue to care for and nurture my grandsons, and their self-discovery; nurture also my relationship with them.
• Study and practice equanimity, patience, and communication habits; learn how to witness from love.
• Continue to nurture my deepest friendships with monthly moon gatherings, and walks.
• Be generous with my time; say yes to community service.
• Find new ways to show my deep love for the earth.

5. Put Baby Jesus in the manger:

Of course, Baby Jesus must arrive in His crib this morning! 

I believe that we all have that of God within, and I generally picture it as Light, but the Christ Child is another wonderful image. At Advent, I am a baby again, waiting for birth into wisdom and grace.

6. Open gifts:

We are going to my daughter's home this morning to open our presents, sit by the fire, eat bagels and prune bread, fruit, and egg nog. We celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving gifts to those we love.