During the holiday season, it is easy to get caught up in doing stuff because it can be a very busy time. We must go shopping for gifts for loved ones. We must have holiday parties. We must prepare for the company of family and friends. We must prepare holiday food. We must do all of these things and more because we feel its expected. However, we forget to take care of ourselves. Instead, we get stressed out over things and place artificial expectations on ourselves. We should not forget that we must voluntarily bring balance into our lives, otherwise, we may be faced with emotional and physical challenges. So during this holiday season, it is time to give a precious give of love, kindness, forgiveness and gratitude to ourselves. We should let go of these expectation. We should forgive ourselves for our so-called "limitations". We should also have an open and compassionate mind and forgive other. We should let go of the things that cause us to feel stressed out. After all, stress is nothing more than a perception and response to feeling threatened in some way. We should let go of thoughts that hold us back from truly enjoying all of the abundance that life has to offer. We should also feel and express our gratitude for this abundance. Let your loved ones know you appreciate having them in your life. And equally important, let your waiter and your hairdresser and your mail person know that you are grateful for their services. Finally, we should share our abundance with others. I believe that helping and sharing with others are important missions of humanity. Notice that I keep using the word "should". This is where freewill comes in. We have a choice. By applying these principles in our lives, we are choosing to empower ourselves and those around us to be the best that we can be. Negativity weakens us and positive loving thoughts strengthen us.

In the spirit of giving, I have a gift for you. It is an audio .mp3 file of the Open Mind Meditation. I created the Open Mind Meditation several years ago based on my training from several teachers. The Open Mind Meditation is a simple, but power meditation that will help you let go and be grateful. By letting go and feeling grateful, we free and open our minds. When our minds are open, we let go of stress and therefore, we can more deeply relax our mind and our body. Click on the link below and it will take you to a page, where you can listen online as well as download a copy that you can listen to any time.

And may the true spirit of the holidays fill your heart and your life with relaxation, joy and love.

Best Qi Wishes!
Tom