12/22/2023
December is famous for its holidays—Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Las Posadas, Bodhi Day and others—and along with holiday festivities, December can be a crazy, busy month at work and at home. It can become overwhelming, finishing up work projects, decorating, and attending celebrations before you can travel and be with family. This sense of overwhelm leads many of my clients to a searching for moments of calm. Our Indigenous Elders tell us that calm is not the opposite of overwhelm. They say that how to tame overwhelm is to remember you “belong”. You are part of this wonderful creation that we inhabit.
You and I belong. Our inner and outer wellbeing relies on community and connection and giving and asking each other for help when needed. We are in belonging with our biological or chosen family, ancestors, coworkers, colleagues, our four-legged companions and more. Most important to remember is that you and I are part of nature, the earth and the cosmos. We cannot survive without these relatives that give us air to breathe, water to live, plants to heal and thrive, and beauty to cleanse and purify our Being.
All around the world, Indigenous people, their leaders and Elders are in Solstice and New Moon ceremonies that recognize and give gratitude for our belonging to the earth. It is the time for each of us to consider what we have given thanks for and what we have offered to the air, the earth, the water and fire. Earth gives us our plants for food, medicine, shelter, and turns our carbon into oxygen, water gives us life, our four-legged
companions, the trees and birds and many other species bring us joy. The list is too long for any one message about all we have been given by nature, Mother Earth.
You choose not to give into overwhelm, remembering that you and I belong. And if, when we ask, “What have I offered to the air, the earth, water and fire”, we answer, “Not very much”, we are given the choice to become more aware, more thankful, more in community with all that surrounds us. We can be supported in our deep belonging through continuing gratitude, purification, and giving nourishment for all those who give themselves to us.
Wishing you wonderful happy holidays!
Anita