As the festive season approaches and we turn the page on another year it is inevitably time to take stock. The northern hemisphere winter is once again at the height of its power. Outside my home is a country lane and although the trees that stand along it are no longer heaving with nature's bounty, they have still retained their majesty. The lane is laminated daily in the crystalline splendor of the frost. Beauty, it would seem, is not solely reserved for the abundance of the summer but is also residing in the spartan scenes of the winter. Mother Nature has provided us with an insight. It is a lesson that transcends all of Life and its ramifications are profound.
The whole of Nature retreats within itself during the winter and this is in synchrony with the holistic organism in which we live. We exist in a living and breathing universe. It is a continuum that fluctuates between summer as it inhales and winter as it exhales. The practice of mindfulness and meditation call each of us to pay attention to our own breath. We witness the fullness of life on the in-breath and our out-breath takes us on that mystical journey back to a space of nothingness, just like the winter.
Christmas has been hijacked by commercialism. Traditionally this was the time of the year to rest and to reflect. It was a chance to drink from the deep well of contemplation. Instead we now have a season of dim superficiality where the emphasis is on mass consumerism. Who cares how you feel once you look good. This is not a healthy ethos for society and, in particular, for our children. Our value system has plummeted on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Our pursuit of self actualization has been replaced with a directive to "want things". It is a hollow and an unnecessary distraction.
So, as the season of goodwill commences, I urge you to invest in the most precious of commodities ... yourself! When confronted with a barrage of advertisements on the TV, simply switch it off and go outside for a walk. For it is in connecting with the elemental symphony of Nature that the gates of infinity open and we catch a glimpse of our eternal selves. Bear witness and steep yourself in the life that passes before your eyes. Share a pot of tea with a loved one and savor every moment, even the silences between the words. The Holy Grail is found in the simple things. Treat yourself. After all, it won't be long before we're all gone and another generation will have to decide how to best spend its time. Happy Christmas everyone.
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