Today's Winter Solstice

Many of you know that today is what is known as the winter solstice. Today is the shortest day of the year and starting today, we begin the progression to more and more daylight hours.

Symbolically, today is an excellent day for going within. It is a day of darkness, symbolizing taking time for inner reflection. Winter itself speaks of taking time for letting go of the need for outside stimulation and allowing our roots to grow deep. In the winter the trees shed their leaves, the flowers are dormant, many animals are hibernating. And yet we humans very often don't take the time for rest and reflection. This is a need that is so essential in our busy busy lives.

Instead of finding time for inner reflection, many of us will be hitting the malls, on that last minute shopping frenzy to find that "perfect" gift. What about taking some time and give a gift to yourself? I don't have time!! you might protest. Yes you do!!

I often hear this protest from my daughter, a single mother of two who works nights as a security guard. Everyone has at least a moment or two to breathe in and breathe out, thank the Universe for the blessings you have enjoyed, focus on your heart, and send love to yourself and others. One day last week I was blessed to be in the position of taking all three of my young grandchildren to the grocery store. At one point I was standing in line and two of the three were grabbing everything in sight. After losing it for a moment, I said out loud, "breathe in breathe out breathe in breathe out." and it was all better.

I like to take my ten minute drive to work to send love to every person I will interact with that day, to all my family members and to all that each of them will interact with that day. I send love to my heart and to my unseen Helpers.

Each of us must at some point go to the bathroom or take a shower. These are perfect opportunities to send love to your heart!

If you have more than a couple of moments today, you might create a ritual to thank your soul, your higher powers, and the energies at work in our lives for the past year. Give thanks for the blessings, the hard times, the challenges, and then release it all to the Universe so that you can be ready to take on the new year!

Invite into your heart all the unseen Help that is available and ask that your heart be aligned with its highest purpose and the highest energy available. Imagine that your physical body is lining up with your soul body. Imagine light and love being poured into every cell in your body. Even if you don't believe that there is power in visualization or that the energy of our souls is amazing and powerful, this meditation will make you feel good!! That in itself is the best reason to do this!

You might want to find a soothing picture to look at, or gaze into the flame of a candle. Meditate on your favorite deity, or even a houseplant! I can get to my happy place gazing at a pen! There is god force energy inherent in every object that graces our lives! All we have to do is expect to see the god in it!

Just for today, take a moment for yourself. Give yourself the gift of inner reflection. Find something to be thankful for. Release the old, and welcome in the new!

Remember that everything in our lives is a gift if we can just find the blessing in it!