Appreciating “What Is”

 

      Are you surprised to see a Christmas tree in my ezine in early November? You’re probably just as surprised I was to hear on October 31 that the retail stores were decorating for Christmas already. They explained that they were afraid that people wouldn’t come to shop as Christmas approached because fuel prices might go even higher! My first reaction was that commercialism had reached a new low, and even though I love the holiday time of year, starting Christmas decorating before Halloween was just too much. But then I took a deep breath and realized that my reaction was similar to many responses I have to things that I judge ridiculous, banal, offensive, and any other insulting adjective I could think of. In one sense, my reaction is probably echoed by you. The very rhythms of our lives are controlled by commercialism and the media, and we have nothing to say about it. My goodness, it’s just one day after changing the clocks back to standard time!!

      But after I ranted for a while and took a few deep breaths, I realized that I also had the opportunity to see these activities from a different perspective. Not that my reaction is wrong or inappropriate—in fact, it’s quite appropriate to the situation. But another way of looking at this time of year and beginning the holiday early is to reflect on the spiritual opportunities it presents.

      For one thing, I have a great opportunity to simply experience whatever is arising. My annoyance, frustration and disappointment in an early holiday are genuine and are a manifestation of who I am: a person who likes to see the natural, rather than the artificial, unfolding of things. In simply noticing my various reactions, I am not indulging or pushing away those feelings, since they are understandable, but simply noting them without judging them. Not only does this noting reduce the intensity of my feelings, but it also allows me to acknowledge that I have no power over the retailers and their decision: it is what it is.

      Another way to look at this very early holiday commencement is to appreciate that we sometimes relegate our holiday spirit to a prescribed time of year. Acknowledging our blessings, praying for peace on earth, gifting our loved ones—we have the chance to expand that time to this moment, right now. We can recall the stories and pray and meditate with them in advance of Christmas time, use that time to be with those stories in new ways. We can explore beyond the stories, asking ourselves about the meaning of birth and death, of the holy and unholy, of good and evil, of love and forgiveness. What do these ideas mean to us on this very day, in relation to the people we love and work with?

      We can open our senses to this early celebration. Rather than grousing about the Christmas music in November, what memories does a song arouse? What do the words mean to us when we get up in the morning, at breakfast, stepping out the door, going for a walk, going to work? Have you ever done a meditation on a song, held it in your heart, and explored how it speaks to you in the year 2005? We can also look at the decorations in a new way. Which decorations speak to us, surprise us, and are beautiful in their simplicity or overwhelming in their boldness? Amidst the noise and music in the shopping malls, can we find a moment of silence and reflection, a moment when we can simply absorb what is around us, and breathe in gratitude for our abundant lives? Can we breathe in the music and the rushing people and the frowns along with the smiles? After all, these moments are what life has offered up. Can we celebrate our annoyance and our pleasure in these many moments before December 25? I hope so; we are blessed with the moments ahead, and they will never happen again.

---

 

In addition to her spiritual practices, Susan R. Quinn of the Quinn Company has been an independent consultant and trainer since 1978.  She specializes in facilitation of problem solving for teams and groups in conflict.  She is certified to train using the DiSC Personal Profile System.  Her other best-received training programs are “Dealing with Difficult People,”  “Managing Conflict,” and “Learning to Live in the Eye of the Hurricane.”  She also offers values clarification workshops and strategic planning services in partnership with her husband, Jerry.  To subscribe to her business ezine, go to www.thequinncompany.com.  You can reach Susan at the Quinn Company, 246 Via Presa, San Clemente, CA  92672, (949) 366-5890, or email susan@thedeepestspirituallife.com.
 

Ask about our new workshop,  “Conflict as a Spiritual Practice”

 

To subscribe to The Deepest Spiritual Life Ezine go to www.thedeepestspirituallife.com , press the Newsletter button and complete the "to subscribe" information