At this time of year, it is natural to think about the Christmas Spirit. For some Christmas Spirit means a time for giving and not simply a day we exchange gifts. The spirit of Christmas is in the 'togetherness', it's in the thought to which you put into thinking about others, it's a selfless time, where we forgive, take stock of what's important and become 'better' versions of ourselves. Using this time to take stock - for self-reflection rather than getting caught up in commercialised gift giving, is perhaps the best gift we can give ourselves. We don’t, of course, have to wait for Christmas – we can gift ourselves anytime by tapping into our ‘spirit’, our ‘soul’ or ‘intuition’ – whatever version resonates with you.
When you listen to your spirit, hearing the messages and following through on them, life tends to flow a little better. If you can tap into your needs and desires and express them clearly you can enjoy a deeper sense of meaning rather than feeling as if something is missing. When your thoughts and intentions align, when you remove doubt, it opens you up to enjoying life and you can move with a forward momentum.
Embracing your spirit – ‘hugging your spirit’ means more than just listening to your heart’s desires. Don’t get us wrong, your heart is tapped into your desires, but it is from a place of want and immediate gratification. Your spirit however is all about need. Your spirit honours the need for growth and understands that everything is happening for the highest good, especially when it doesn’t feel that way. Your spirit knows that sometimes you must do what’s scary in the moment for the sake of growth, but many of us struggle with this. If we can persevere and work through life’s challenges then we can work through our growing pains and ‘build life muscles’ that improve our resilience.
Not everything needs to be a struggle though if you just listen to your spirit. Our spirit is our unique essence. It’s a feeling. It is formless and wordless so how do we listen to our spirit?
1. Create space – Many people don’t create space to just sit for a moment and connect with themselves. If we take this moment to close our eyes and feel, we can connect with our spirit. It doesn’t necessarily have to be anywhere specific, its more about finding a time when you won’t be disturbed. You can start aligning with your inner wisdom through prayer, meditation or just by simply breathing.
2. Get into the habit of asking – We often forget that we have guidance within us and around us. We can call on our spirit for help. We are used to relying on our own strength but when we worry that we are not strong enough that is when fear sets in. Therefore, the first step is to get into the habit of asking your spirit guides for help. The more you ask, the more you receive and the less you rely on your own strength.
3. Journal – Open a notebook and simply let your pen flow. Allow whatever needs to, come through your thoughts and ideas, stories. Don’t second-guess yourself or edit a word. Just write and you may just find your spirit speaking directly to you.
4. Pay attention – There may be signs all around you are missing simply because you are not looking for them. If you are asking questions, then start looking for the answers. Remember your spirit is all about need instead of want so be open to unexpected answers showing up in unexpected ways – a song on the radio, a billboard or even a stranger saying something that you needed to hear.
Finally, you may need to develop the patience and sit in meditation for a while learning how to quiet your mind and tune in to your spirit. You may discover resistance, sadness, anger or anxiety you don’t want to feel. It is important to feel these feelings – once you are aware of them you can do something with them or simply improve your self-awareness. Choose to show up for the work that’s required to align with your spirit. Then you can get to the fun stuff like living your purpose, creating abundance, enjoying fulfilling relationships, and giving your gifts to the world in the way you’re meant to.
So go on, hug your spirit. Embrace the season, embrace yourself. Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year. MBP