December Newsletter 2009

Let There Be Light

Kathleen‘s Mindful Message

This is the season of rebirth and the birth of new light into the world. Heaven knows I am ready for light and new life at the end of one of the most challenging years of my life. I am so ready for 2009 to go, be gone, adios. I literally died May 20, when I was hit by a car, while I was walking across a street in a crosswalk in Los Angeles, died and was brought back to life. I experienced an NDE, a near death experience. It has been an odyssey of physical problems and struggling with a severe physiological depression from my TBI, traumatic brain injury. After my death experience, I came back to this life different, and the life I had known was forever gone. So this has been a year of surrender, loss and discovery. I am ready to let go of 2009 to discover and co-create this new life of light. When my anxiety, fear or worries emerge about my new unknown life, I take a deep breath to the count of eight, exhale and whisper, "I am light in the world. I Trust this Divine light moving through me to help heal the world." I invite you to trust the Divine light moving through you too. We need all the light people we can muster up! Please join us at the light tribe called the Mindful Living Network.
Happy Holidays,
Kathleen

Lighten Up Your Holiday Family Stress

For many it‘s a love-hate relationship when you deal with relatives during the holidays. The epic story of the difficult to please mother-in-law, or weirdo brother-in-law is enough to make you pull your hair out, if it‘s not falling out already from the stress of economy and job crisis.

Holiday gatherings can be tense, but this year the collapse of the economy and job loss, have made people more volatile and stressed than ever before. You really have no idea what people are going through, whether it‘s your brother-in-law that lost his job, or your sister who has no health insurance. Being mindful during time together is one of the best gifts you can offer this holiday season. Commit to being a source of light in the midst of possible gloom.

Here are a few tips to create more love, light, energy and peace into your family holiday:

1. Communicate before everyone arrives; a lack of communication creates stress. Send out a guest newsletter to everyone expected to take part in the gatherings to inform them of rules, plans and potential play that is planned for the visit.
2. Establish guest survival rules (shower schedule, off-limit refrigerator items, phone use, etc.) and put them in a public place. Most of us have a card carrying narcissist in our family who doesn‘t have great boundaries.
3. Be sure to label quiet rooms (for guests to take a nap or read) and activity rooms (to play a computer game or watch television). Guests will appreciate the thought you put into their needs.
4. Avoid known "hot buttons" for certain family members. Some subject areas are best left untouched.
5. Be proactive NOT reactive: have a plan in place for situations and stick to it.
6. Project an attitude of gratitude and compassion-it is impossible to be grateful and stressed at the same time.
7. Time Management: Be aware of how much time you spend with each person; don‘t spend too much time with someone you have a negative history with. Short staccato visits are best. Too much time can open old wounds or create irritation, impatience, and arguments.
8. The Past: People tend to live in their rear view mirrors. They live in the past and want to bring up old dead topics that create anger and disagreements. Keep the conversations in the present.
9. Don‘t take things personally. It‘s all about them. DO NOT REACT!
When all is said and done, ‘tis the season to be jolly, so make the best of it and enjoy the time you have with friends, family, and food. If you can de-stress this holiday season, people will notice and your experience can be that much more fun.



Are You Living in Your light?

I ask you to join me and commit during this holiday season to be a source of light in our world. We really can change the world by repeating a daily mantra, "I am the light in this world." We all need the gift of light in our lives as we live in these challenging times. The ancient spiritualities, religions and cultures use the word light in their literature to refer to one‘s ability to affect change or transform the world by being light.
Dr. Albert Schweitzer said, "The thing that truly matters is that we struggle for light to be within us. Each feels the other‘s struggle and when a person has light within them it shines out upon others." Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. Don‘t hide your light, let it shine before others." Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, "From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all." Buddha whispered, "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single lighted candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

I am a Reiki Master and have been a Reiki practitioner for many years. Reiki is the Japanese word that describes work or healing based on the life force energy. Some describe Reiki as silver white light energy which is a transforming energy on all levels of a person‘s being. Don‘t underestimate the power of each of us committing our lives to being a light source in our world.
Don‘t surrender to the darkness or into the shadows this holiday season. Make a list of the sources of light in your life and refresh and renew your light regularly.

Four Simple Sources of Light Energy:

1. A Light Affirmation. Repeat a positive affirmation of light often during your busy day. "I am light and love." "I experience the energy of light in my life." "I am a source of light in our world." Create your own light affirmation, repeat it, and believe what you say!
2. Your Light Environment. Does your environment at home, work, your car and your clothes reflect your light in our world? Get some bright inexpensive throw pillows in your favorite color or a throw for your home, hang a bright happy painting or drawing in your office, wear clothing that makes you feel energetic and light. Let your light reflect in your environment.
3. Send Light Notes. Each day through the holidays send a short light note to someone who needs it. Send a message of hope, love, gratitude and light to someone and send your light into their lives. Right now make a list of people you know on your email list and send them your light this holiday season. You are planting seeds of light in our fractured world.
4. Eat Light Food. Take a moment before each meal, sit in silence and send gratitude and light into each morsel of food on your plate. Many spiritualities and religions believe that this simple act actually transforms your food into a sacred gift.

Life on the Farm at Oak Haven

The trees have surrendered their leaves to the earth and each magnificent one legged (tree) stands naked, vulnerable and silent in the haunting cold of this season. The silence of this season in the woods is remarkable. I forget how stark and pure the silence is during this holiday season. Our home is decorated with a beautifully decorated tree, garland on the mantle and a wreath on the glass front door. The cats think the tree is their new trapeze, the dogs love sneaking candy out of the candy dishes and we all sit in awe staring at the lights of our tree against the black night. The holiday experience at the farm is the opposite of my city experience. Silence, awe, simplicity and slow rhythm is how I describe Click here to go back