KS&L 334 Holiday Cards by Tina Erwin

         It is hard to believe that the Christmas holidays are here again.  The Jewish Festival of Lights has also begun.  While there are lots of faiths not represented in this title, this is the month of special celebrations for these two faiths.

          There are many concepts of loving and sharing that symbolize this time, maybe the best symbol is just love.  While pondering the concept of love, perhaps we should consider why people send out holiday cards.  Why do some people send a card with a printed address and signature?  Is it just routine, another chore to send cards or to give a gift or gift card?  Perhaps it is not.  To be on a card or holiday gift list is to be thought of with a special feeling.  Maybe we do not send cards to people we see each day which is OK. We send cards to people in our lives that we do not see, because something about the connection is special and we do not want to break it.  Maybe the karma is not yet exhausted and we keep it going with our cards and often e-mails.

          Creating a card for someone, perpetuates a connection, letting him or her them know that they are still in our thoughts.  Why is this important? It is important because there is a part of us that wants to stay connected to so many wonderful people. This is why from a Feng Shui view, saving those cards, saving all of those tremendous wishes is saving, honoring the intentions of all the people who spent the cost, the time, the effort and the intention of sending something to us, of thinking of us. Perhaps we have wondered why we bother with cards each year. Maybe, we need that connection, maybe we need to now what things are happening in other people’s lives, that there is a lot of life going on all over the place.

          Holiday newsletters seem irritating to some people, but again, someone reflected on their year. They shared their lives with us. Some newsletters are just perfect. Some reflect the challenges that this year posed including the death of a family member and the impact of fires or floods or tornados. Most people reflect on the milestones of their year, their travels - how they explored life this year - and how they interacted with family and friends. When we read these letters, we see life happening all around us, from the ordinary and the mundane to the electric moments that challenge us.

         So perhaps as we reflect on all the festivities and organization required of the holiday time, we can come to understand that creating a holiday atmosphere free from strife, comfortable, beautiful with cards, food and gifts is a great service, not a chore. Love comes in many forms and all the effort we put into giving of our time and effort really does matter in the most subtle and humble ways. Often the effort alone is a gift - the gift of love we give each other. Happy Holidays everyone!

KS&L 89 Wellness in December by Tina Erwin

       If we listen to the press, print, radio and TV, we will surely feel that the whole world is unwell.  It may seem like an inevitability that a person won’t be healthy at this time of year.  We who study metaphysics know inherently that this is simply a lie. No one ever has to be unwell.

       Imagine if the press for just one week reported how healthy the country is, how this December people were the healthiest they have ever been!  Imagine if the press reported smiling faces and empty medical waiting rooms. Imagine if people did not need to be ill. Imagine if people were proud of their wellness - safe and secure in the knowledge that they crave wellness and happiness because they care for their bodies so much and value their health. Imagine if the group mind believed that they could be well all the time. So, why can’t we think like this? Why does it seem people continue to be unwell, especially now?

       Many people seem to need the attention that illness brings. 

       Many people seem to need the excuse to rest that illness brings.

       Many people cannot manage their time so that they are not stressed, so illness is their only way to get out of things.

       Many people heard their parents say that they were always sick at the holidays. Many people remembered childhoods full of sickness in December, it became their norm.

       Many people only received love from their parents when they were sick.

       Many people suffered a death or terrible grief in Nov/Dec and that memory subconsciously brings on a cold or other illness in place of straight forwardly addressing grief.

       Many people are lonely this time of year and an illness gets people’s attention or love, if only for a little while.

       There will come a day in the very near future when illness will simply be a thing of the past, something we no longer need. If we sense “something coming on” then we have the tools to look within ourselves and figure out why our subconscious thought we needed to be ill. We can then address that emotional need and heal the physical body. When emotional needs are met, the body stays in a state of physical balance.  When emotional needs are chronically unmet, the body remains in a chronic out of balance state and becomes vulnerable to illness. No pill, potent, powder or shot will change this. It is just how it is.

       The only way to be perennially healthy is to heal that underlying emotional issue that triggers any type of illness. This applies to every single affliction that affects the human body: all of them.  While this may sound challenging, it is truly the basis of pristine health. It is learning that people die and that we can heal from a death. It is opening our hearts to others and learning to recognize the many facets of love. It is love itself. . . And isn’t this really the message of December?  Love after all is what this is all about. Love the body enough to give it loving rest and release from stress. We are inherently wise when we can love with all of our heart.

KS&L 86 Thanksgiving by Tina Erwin

This is the time of year we turn to considering all the things we are thankful for. But often we are made to feel that the world is in dire straights, is hopeless and that the sky is falling.

       So perhaps it would be good to take a minute and look at globally what we can feel good about. Often, the press reminds us so continually of what is wrong with the world that we frequently forget to remember what is right with the world. So, here are some thoughts on what is right with the world at this snapshot in time. Please keep in mind that at any given moment, someone is demonstrating about something or someone or some government is doing something harmful, but if you look at the aggregate there are signs of hope out there.

       The election is over and whether you are happy or unhappy about it, the government will still go on. We are an example to the world that you can have people disagree and still move forward and accept results.

       All of North America, Central and South America are at peace.

       India and Pakistan are at peace.

       All of Northern Europe, Europe and Southern Europe are at peace.

       All of Northern Africa and most of Africa is also at peace.

       All of Asia is at peace. That, in itself is staggering. North Korea is being monitored by the Chinese -  a first in history. Viet Nam is a trading partner.

       While parts of the Middle East are not at peace, we can still be hopeful for this part of the world.

       All of the former Soviet states are at peace.

       There is unrest in many countries, but for the most part, this is not a planet at war with itself. Most modern countries are working very hard to prevent any hint of nuclear war. We are more aware of environmental concerns than we have ever been at any time in history.

       The Internet and cell phones have linked the world. We will never see ourselves as alone on this planet because we know that we are part of the global community. More people are traveling to other countries to know for themselves that we, and they are the same, want the same things for our families, food, shelter, safety, love and economic stability.

       The movement to spirituality is perhaps the largest planet wide, than it has ever been. We are aware of more people praying, believing in Angels and higher spiritual beings than ever before.

       So, yes, as we consider that there are places of extreme strife, we must also honor and be grateful for the fact that the vast majority of this planet IS at peace and with continued prayer, hope and love, let us hope that in our lifetimes, all of the planet will be at peace at the same time.  Happy Thanksgiving.