Appreciation Is The Best Gift To Give...

Happy soon-to-be Winter Solstice! The light returning is so hopeful and exciting.

The light returning is the basis for the winter holidays. This metaphor is used in different religious and spiritual stories as a reason to celebrate.

I like to think of it as a time when nature becomes so still and quiet, representing our minds, that our divine light can be revealed.

When our minds are turbid with excessive thinking, our inner light is obscured by stress and racing thoughts, and we forget that we are not our thoughts or passing emotions.

But if we can sit with our long, slow breaths to quiet the mind, our light of divinity, seated in our hearts, can be our refuge for a deep remembering of who we truly are: this eternal light housed in this temporary human body.

The more we remember this light and return to it as an act of devotion, the easier it becomes to surrender to it, providing us with a deep sense of security.

Sharing this light to brighten others' lives can be as simple as letting them know what we appreciate about them.

"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."

This quote has rerouted my ideas around gifts. I'm now making lists on beautiful paper of what I appreciate about my friends and family, their talents and strengths, and the important memories I have of them.

I may even frame it so they can hang it up and remember!

In an over-consuming culture, gift-giving often lacks meaning, leaving me empty. This gift of appreciation may become my yearly ritual to remember and help others remember their gifts of what I love and appreciate about them. And it is so uplifting to create it!

Be the light that illuminates others, and let them know what you appreciate about them! Shine your light on the people in your life - which will ignite their light by knowing what you admire, love, and are grateful for about them.

It will go a long way.

Happy return of the light!

From my heart to yours~

Namaste,

Maggie