It’s early in the morning and I am listening to the sounds in the house…..all are very familiar to me, yet I am hearing them for the first time all over again. I think I am having a ‘moment’.

It’s about time. 

Most of the time my life is in a constant state of rush. I motor through my day trying to get as much done as possible, only half listening, sort of hearing, kind of paying attention. Then I hurry off to bed when I can do no more and my mind needs a rest.

Thankfully, our entire body is able to take in and capture all the events of the day, so even when we are not fully conscious of all that is taking place within us, around us and for us; our cells are tuned in allowing our minds to accomplish other things.

This is a busy season for many and a weird one – the energy shifts and changes constantly from one of great hope to lows of bad news and strange happenings in the world, emotional triggers that can leave us exhausted.

As a result, I am doing a couple things differently this year…..well, probably not that different but maybe I’m just more aware of doing them. This year I am taking time out to breathe, stop and look around me.

You may have heard me referring to this as ‘taking in the day’ or going outside first thing in the morning to ‘smell the day’. Believe it or not, doing this always gives me the greatest sense of what is going on in my life. 

The second thing I am finding myself drawn to is taking more time for me. 
One of the most difficult things to do at any time of the year is to spend time with my own well-being in mind. Usually all my time is taken up with caring for others, thinking about how to help, heal or feed everyone around me and generally loving every part of that.

And none of that has changed.

These two aspects of my thinking are quite different from each other as well. Taking time to notice more of the natural world is always incorporated into what I am doing, as I am doing it. My work and life are focused on nature and what it can do for us. 

Perhaps it is because I am paying more attention I am taking better care of myself.

I feel as if I have finally incorporated more of ‘me’ into the care part of my life and it feels great. My down time this Solstice & Christmas will involve even more activity that soothes the soul – walks in the woods, digging in the tunnel, exercise and long seaweed baths.
As we move from the darkest time of the year and into the light, where will it find us and what will be illuminated? We create our world, we are the designers of our destiny and we choose the path with each decision we make. 

Take some time to be with who you really are and the light will find you. 
So…. for the coming weeks…..

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays – Blessed Be