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, 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

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Light a candle for sanctuary

2. Read "SoulSpace"

3. Soyal retreat practices for sanctuary

4. Sanctuary brainstorm

5. Open Gifts

6. Put Baby Jesus in the manger

1

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Light a candle for sanctuary:

At Soyal, I review the Divine Laws, as I see them, meditate and write about my priorities, and make plans for the coming year based on guidance from the Spirits. Today I am giving attention to my priority of
sanctuary. A sanctuary is a sanctum, a sacred and protected place of beauty, grace and refuge; it embraces us and brings us back to center. When we take sanctuary, even for brief moments, we are re-created, recharged, healed, soothed, comforted and at peace.

My home (in a perfect world) is the calm center of the storm; it

 shapes childhood memories and adult experiences. 

Our home is cozy and fairly clean and tidy, but it has room for improvement: Our peace is upset by cluttered storage spaces and a few too many sharp words. I want to consider how to improve my home and garden spaces. 

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

What rooms and outdoor spaces in our home and garden need the most work to become a true sanctuary: safe, comfortable, and welcoming? What are my home space priorities? How can I put my creativity into form to serve a sense of sanctuary?

 

How can I tend my home in a way that pleases and feeds my soul? How can I improve on my cleaning routine, and clean our home with joy and intention? How can I invite synergistic help around larger maintenance tasks?

 

What physical clutter am I more than ready to let go of? What clutter am I clinging to? How do I balance simplicity and order in my home with abundance and creativity?

 

How can I better create sanctuary for the natural world, that lets me share its space?  How can I remember to think of our home and land as kin, as a place with a soul of its own, and listen to what it wants?

 

2. Read "SoulSpace":

I'm just beginning this little book I bought, by Xorin Balbes (2011), with the subtitle "Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life". The introduction is The Eight SoulSpace Stages. It opens with all the nice images of a perfect space - lush, cozy, inviting, everything in its place and functioning well, and states: "The interior design of your home is a mirror of the interior design of you. ... By ridding ourselves of the physical manifestation of negative patterns and surrounding ourselves with positive manifestations of our best selves, we can move forward ... to be our very best."

He talks about creating a temple instead of just a beautiful home. I think my goal is more humble - serene is out of my reach. I want clean, finished, ship-shape, with only the things we need.

He says my home will tell me about my beliefs and perspectives, and working through this book will help me see new possibilities, and create openings to manifest my dreams (hmmmm.) "By using your belongings as a concrete way to investigate and understand your feelings and attachments, you will expose and then begin to break down old patterns ... making room for your new evolved self."

The first stage is Assessment, and I can already see that it will be frustrating. I want to jump to Stage 2, Release. 

3. Soyal retreat practices for sanctuary:

This Christmas I am 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. Each day I will fit in some reading and writing, some focused walking, and some order-creation. At the end of the day I will brainstorm some goals and resolutions for 2026, based on guidance from God.

My practices today are:

1. Reorder and re-dedicate my closet and dresser, stashing some clothes in the cedar chest, and packing some to donate. 
2. Waltz Walk in the neighborhood (using the mantra Guide-ing-Light), and use movement and mindfulness to connect to creative energy and my guiding light.
3. Grub just a bit to gently connect to Mother Nature; clean the duck coop and fill the food bin.
4. Make cookies: I've got some cookie dough left over, and as a ceremonial way to honor sanctuary, I will bake it today!

4. Sanctuary brainstorm:

Today I am brainstorming some goals and resolutions for my sanctuary. My ideas so far:

• My rebrand for my Studio is as a Retreat Center - I don't want to teach art classes so much as provide a clear space to envision life changes, and create art with a message.
• Continue to recycle possessions I no longer need, especially fabric, paper, and art supplies; plan some art projects to use my stockpile.
• This is the year that I will find and store each thing in its place, so I can find it when I need it! Focus especially on order in my office and studio as I create a Retreat Center.
• Deal with the windows and outdoor spaces.
• Renew my connection to my home and the seasons with a comprehensive seasonal maintenance calendar, and by tending to it with intention and integrity.

5. Open gifts:

We are going to my daughter's home this morning to open our presents, sit by the fire, eat a "brunch charcuterie", fruit, bread, cookies, and drink coffee.

We celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving gifts to those we love.

6. 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.