December has come to be one of my favorite months…Perhaps it is the anticipation of snow, the excitement of the holiday season and the colors of red and white…Or the joy of thinking of loved ones and what they would like for presents, the twinkling lights on the streets or the Christmas music…I love the holiday movies (that always end well!), baking treats, making chocolate bark with my daughter or stringing beads together to create unique pieces and lighting up our Christmas tree.

I’m well aware that this is a highly commercialized season, where we are constantly bombarded to go out and get more, to buy our way into happiness and stoke the craving for more. But it doesn’t have to be.

December is also the month of solstice, of quieting down, finding warmth and solace in the loving qualities of the heart like generosity, gratitude and appreciation, and of celebrating being together and sharing laughter and memories. Of being intentional of what we do and say, of being mindful of our resources and how we spend them. We can start small, and take that first step towards reigning back the momentum of habit, by inviting mindfulness and appreciating the simple beauty of this season. We can create boundaries with our time, finances and energy that protect us from over-exertion and help us cultivate nourishment and peace.

So, the next time that you are outside, slow down and notice the coolness of the air, the movement of the trees, the sound of the birds, the spectacular colors of the sunrises and the sunsets, and the twinkling of the stars in the cold still nights. When running errands, take in the sounds, smells, tastes and sights. When in grocery lines or traffic, practice sending metta towards others: wishing that they too have joy and peace in their holiday season. When frustrated, remember patience and kindness. When overwhelmed, remember the support of the ground and the breath. When entangled in clinging, remember to pause and relax.

I write this as much as a reminder to me as to you. For we need the support of each other to awaken together and live with greater compassion, wisdom and kindness. I leave you today with this winter blessing from Brother David Steindl-Rast:

May You Grow Still Enough

May you grow still enough to hear the small noises earth makes in preparing for the long sleep of winter, so that you yourself may grow calm and grounded deep within.

May you grow still enough to hear the trickling of water seeping into the ground, so that your soul may be softened and healed, and guided in its flow. May you grow still enough to hear the splintering of starlight in the winter sky and the roar at earth’s fiery core.

May you grow still enough to hear the stir of a single snowflake in the air, so that your inner silence may turn into hushed expectation.

 —  Brother David Steindl-Rast

Wishing you love, peace, laughter and joy, Shuba