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Amid all the festivities, it’s estimated that a large percentage of us get the “holiday blues” – sadness and stress that can be hard to shake. Showing love and compassion toward ourselves and others can help beat the inevitable disappointments caused by social expectations, family dynamics and economic concerns.
The heart chakra is the seat of love and compassion. ‘Tis the season of forgiveness, the greatest gift you can give yourself, your family and friends. Use this HEART CHAKRA MEDITATION to move you toward this goal…
Breathe in and out a beautiful emerald green into the center of your chest, the home of the heart chakra, with love, joy and compassion for other people and yourself. Feel any tension blocking the flow here, shutting off or shutting out love. Any anger or fear is past, it can be healed. When you let it go, you’ll feel your true essence of love and joy. To send forgiveness, wrap those people who have caused you pain in the bright green light, cleansing and healing the situation. Release yourself and them from any negative connections, only keeping the good. Let go of anger to have space for love to grow. Now, with love and compassion, wrap yourself and your whole life experience in healing green light.
Spread the Love. Don’t expect a duplicate of an ideal holiday from years gone by. Changes such as divorce, death of a loved one, or distance from family and friends can all cause depression. So create new traditions, fill your calendar with fun events and meet new people. Don’t wait for others to include you in their holiday parties – invite those who are without family to a potluck in your home instead.
Strengthen Your Mood through Movement and Music. Get exercise – yoga, walking, running – to beat depression, moving to music that uplifts you. Try getting at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day to fight any chemical causes for holiday funk. Exercise your mind too – read inspiring stories about those who have overcome adversity and succeeded. May I suggest The Chakra Diaries?
Express your Gratitude. Count your blessings, taking stock of all of the positives in your life. It will quickly cheer your mood. Ask yourself what you are most grateful for and to whom you are most grateful. Then tell them if you can.
Give of Yourself. Helping others is the best antidote to seasonal sadness and self-pity. Volunteer at a local charity, homeless shelter, hospital or nursing home. Make someone else smile, and in the end, you’ll be the one smiling.
The Dalai Lama recently wrote, “In my own experience, the highest level of inner calm comes from the development of love and compassion. The more concerned we are with the happiness of others, the more we increase our own well-being. Friendliness and warmth towards others allow us to relax and help us to dispel any sense of fear or insecurity so we can overcome whatever obstacles we face.”
For more information, please go to http://www.TheChakras.org or contact Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries and holistic counselor at Becca@TheChakras.org.