Final Days of Christmas

We have two days of Christmas left! By now, most people are fed up with holidays and ready to get back to "normalcy" - but I'm holding on for my full 12-days-worth.

Agenda:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Health goals for 2022

3. Year of Awareness

4. Winter walking meditation

1. Christmas retreat:

I am continuing my 12 Days of Christmas mini-retreat, focusing on my priorities and what I'm called to do (or not do) next in my life. Today I am honoring my physical health.

What self-care habits do I consistently practice that nurture and support my physical health? 

Am I getting enough sleep, exercise, and am I eating the right foods? Do I need to schedule any health check-ups?

What self-care habits do I most need to add now in my life, to give me greater energy and increase my health and well-being? What is holding me back from practicing these?

Am I getting enough time to relax and play, and how am I spending that time?

2. Health Goals for 2022:

I'm finishing up the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year, focusing on my priorities, which are Love, Home, Health, Service, Learning, Creativity, and Life Purpose. 

My theme for today is health and resilience: Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. I depend on my body strength and energy to be effective and succeed at my priorities. When I am physically and mentally strong, I thrive no matter what life throws at me, and can move forward without the baggage of fears and grudges.

Ah, January resolutions! As usual, I'm ready now to upgrade my health habits, strengthen my body, and improve my diet. I know I'd better start with small steps that I can easily maintain. Health goals might have to do with boosting my vitality, improving my eating and exercise habits, keeping away from unnecessary health risks, increasing my confidence, acting with courage on a new idea, or facing my fears with equanimity.

My ideas so far for health goals this year:

• Walk more than I have been - rain or shine - to get in touch with my climate and to move my muscles.
• Also, get back to dancing and aerobics exercises a few times a week.
• Eat more vegetables, and learn some new vegetarian recipes.
• Be clear and firm with my commitment to protect myself and my family from Covid-19. Don't take risks: Wear a mask, shop early in the day, meet up with friends outside.

3. Year of Awareness:

I like to give my year a theme: 2019 was my "Year of Virtue", 2020 was my "Year of Gestation". 2021 was my "Year of Discovery". I generally choose something poetic that embraces the overall trend of my goals and resolutions for the year.

2022 is my Year of Awareness. Awareness has many parts -

• Physical awareness of my body and my environment;
• Mental awareness of my thoughts and feelings;
• Social awareness of how my behaviors and actions impact those around me;
• and Spiritual awareness of that-of-God inside and outside myself.

4. Winter Awareness Walk:

The path is under water!

Walking in the  winter has a different flavor of adventure. I need to get all the gear on, and brace myself for the elements. 

Then I relax and allow myself to appreciate and feel the wonders of the season, and an awareness of the harmony of life emerges. 

This month I plan to enjoy an Awareness Walk practice, for the purpose of being present to the winter and to Creation:

1. Physical Awareness: Concentrate on my feet as they touch the ground, the feel of my muscles, my breathing, my surroundings, the breeze, the sky. Continue this for 1-2 blocks. 

2. Heart Awareness: Turn a corner, and focus on my tender heart. Feel it soften and open. Send loving thoughts to my neighbors as I walk by their homes, to my family, to my community, to the world. Continue this for 1-2 blocks. 

3. Mindfulness: Turn another corner, and pay attention to my thoughts. Make an effort to open my mind to the ambiguity of the moment, and my life. Continue this for 1-2 blocks. 

4. Spiritual Awareness: Turn the last corner, and (holding on to the awareness I've raised) speak a prayer out loud as I’m moving; feel the power and energy move through me. Say, “Spirits of Love and Light and Creation, I remember thee. Amen.”