Growing up I celebrated Christmas, the religious holiday, with my family, but as I grew up and decided I would form my own spirituality I began celebrating December (winter) Solstice.  I honor the cycles and the seasons that remind us of the ever changing flow of life that we are part of.  Obviously, you cannot get rid of Christmas in today’s society but, I put my effort in celebrating and having a Solstice party.





Sunday, December 21st was the Winter Solstice.  And just like the past 7 years, we hosted a Winter Solstice dinner party at our house for our good friends that celebrate it as well.  It is great to have friends that have similar beliefs and enjoy celebrating aspects of the earth….we also have a summer solstice party too! :D

At our party we celebrate the “light” coming back to the world.  After the solstice the days begin to get longer and nights get shorter, meaning the sun will be out longer.  At our celebration we make a big dinner, similar to the one I used to make when celebrating Christmas, give gifts, usually have a campfire and engage in conversation all night. 

Even though we have good friends that understand what the Winter Solstice is about, I often get questions from students in my yoga class or other acquaintances what it is.  Here are a few common questions I get-
What is the December (winter) Solstice?  The winter solstice is an astronomical phenomenon where the sun in in the furthest part of the southern sky.   It is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. After the winter solstice the days begin to get longer and the nights get shorter.  It is the first (unofficial) day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer in the Southern.  Below is a map of the world during the time of the solstice.




Is it related to Christmas?  Some believe it is because there is no date in the bible that specifically says December 25 was the birth of Christ.  The December solstice is tied to many cultures and events including the Mayan apocalypse scare that marked the end of their calendar.

Do you decorate for the solstice? Yes we do.  We decorate the house with evergreens and wreaths representing the rebirth of the circle of life.  We decorate the house with candles, lights, mirrors, prisms, and everything that creates light to welcome back the light.



The winter solstice is a magical time when we acknowledge our incredible earth and the change in seasons.  Even though the winter solstice has past, make your calendars to celebrate the summer solstice on June 21, 2015.

Happy Solstice!

Namaste

Anita

Friendships have always been important in my life.  When I was younger I placed too much importance on having a lot of friends, but as I grew up I have learned the difference between friends and acquaintances.  I have a great group of close friends and many acquaintances that make my life exciting every day.


Friendships are some of the most complex but meaningful relationships we have in our lives.  The bond between friends often runs deeper than some family ties and sometimes last longer that our relationships with our partners or spouses.  Some of my friends I have known since I was still in diapers and some I met only a few months ago.  The one think they all have in common, loyalty.

Loyalty is a feeling of support or allegiance.  My close group of friends would drop anything if I needed them, and I would do the same for them.  They have stood by my side through the thick and thin, and the good times and bad.



I treasure old friendships because we’ve known each other for so many years and seen each other grow into the mature adults we are today.  In the same way I treasure new friendships because I am who I am and they appreciate that.  I feel as we grow older we are more self-assured and more comfortable with who we are so we don’t need to put on an act for our friends we can truly be ourselves.

Friends come and go and it is part of life.  I believe that everything happens for a reason.  People come into your life for a reason.  If they only stay a while, they impacted your life in that short period of time and they need to move on.  Friends that have been around for many years are there to keep you sane and keep your feet on the ground.  I believe we need both as we grow and life takes us in different directions.

I think that it is more important to have five really good friends instead of a hundred okay ones. A friend that sticks around through thick and thin is a good one to keep and nurture.  Friends are there to share emotion and feel the same things, without them life wouldn’t be same.

My motto about friendship; Life is short and should be lived in the moment, surrounded by people that make you happy.  Everything and everyone has a meaning if it is in life why not make the best of those around you.  Friends keep life more interesting.

Namaste.

Positive energy creates positive results.  I believe that one of the most important things in life is to maintain a creative optimistic view to share with the world.  A few days ago I was able to meet up with an old friend from college, grab some coffee, and catch up.  We hadn’t talked since college graduation, it was very interesting to see how both our lives had gone in completely different directions.  She had been married, had two children, and had recently gotten divorced.  During her marriage and after having children, she let herself go.  She stopped focusing on her physical health, mental health, and spiritual health, and instead focused her energy on others and the negative energy coming from the events happening.

She continued to tell me about her new epiphany, realizing she needed to start putting herself first and make a lifestyle change to recreate a new healthy individual.  Even though she realized that she needed to make a change she was still scared, and didn’t believe that she could do it.  Her response for everything was, “I really want to do this for myself, but I don’t think I can.”



It was heartbreaking listening to someone with such a passive negativity voice in their head.  I work hard every day to bring positivity into the world, and it is very hard encountering an old friend with very little positivity towards themselves.  The quote “Turn your can’ts into cans, and dreams into plans,” motivated me when I decided to take on the yoga lifestyle and embrace everything that makes me who I am.



I think society should try removing the word “can’t” from our vocabulary.  It creates unnecessary limits that we then believe to be true.  My advice to those of you like my friend, try to understand that only you hold the power to change the negative thoughts into positive ones.  Make the decision every day to only entertain positive feelings, envision achieving the dreams that may seem unreachable.


When I consciously focus on changing my mindset, it is easy believing I can make my dreams into plans.  It is hard not to get discouraged when the outcome doesn’t come quickly, but that is where the powerful positivity of the mind is necessary.  When I want something bad enough, I know I will find a way to work to get it. 

Stop using “can’t,” replace it with a smile and a “can.”  Believe you can and you will.

Namaste.