The Real Twelve Days Of Christmas
M any assume that the Twelve Days of Christmas are those leading up to December 25, but ally, Christmas Day itself ushers in se twelve days of celebration that only on January 6 with the feast of Epiphany. 'Twelve tide', as this iPod is sometimes called, has its ins in an older Christian tradition twelve days of joyful, celebratory igious devotion following the birth of Christ Child. But often, the chaos and pressures allow to invade what is supposed to season of peace, exhaust us, and for t people to think of another 12 days observation-is a bit too much. Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf cation, considered the Twelve Holy hits between Christmas and Epiphany ne time when the Spirit of the vidual and the Spiritual World are most connected, making it the perfect time for special attention to our inner path of personal development. So we can use this time, a time of one year giving way to another, in amore quiet and reflective way. Lynn Jericho believes what's missing in Christmas is an opportunity to explore the 'inner dimensions' of the season, and so advocates making the old custom of the Twelve Days of Christmas into a new tradition in which she encourages us to mark each evening from December 25 through January 5 with a few minutes of reflection. The themes for each of these Holy Nights could help us restore the sacred dimension in our lives. You can choose your own themes, list of words, questions and reflections. Writing them down is a good idea. On the first night, reflect on 'general sixty'; think of three people who were generous in any way to you, and three more to whom you can reach out to with this quality. The second night, look at 'receptivity'; during the past year, what gifts from the universe have you neglected to accept or acknowledge? On the third, 'resilience'; how have or haven't you recovered your balance when something disturbed you? The next day, a quality we don't pay much attention to: 'vulnerability'; can you allow yourself to be vulnerable? Look at 'change ‘for day five; what changes did you face this pastyear,what say you through them, what qualities in yourself came up that you can celebrate? Then, 'flexibility'; how easy or hard has it been to go with the flow? Day seven, 'radiance'-look back at your darkest moments of the last year, and remember who or what lit the way foryou.On the eighth day, recall 'wonder did you make time to be touched, awed delighted? For day nine, 'wisdom'; which person, young or old, embodied wiselivingforyou this year? The next day you might look at foolishness'; we all have our foolish moments; have you laughed at yourself, forgivenyourselfOn day eleven think of those you find hard to forgive, and try to anyway. Anon the twelfth night-reflect on 'hope and your hopes for the year ahead. Each night after Christmas, have each member share one thing they are thankful for. Then on cutout shapes of coloured notepaper or leftover wrapping paper, ribbon and markers, you write the different things you are thankful for and hang them on your trsetting the tone for your year ahead.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Marguerite Theophil and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Marguerite Theophil and Speaking Tree,Times of India
The Real Twelve Days Of Christmas
M any assume that the Twelve Days of Christmas are those leading up to December 25, but ally, Christmas Day itself ushers in se twelve days of celebration that only on January 6 with the feast of Epiphany. 'Twelve tide', as this iPod is sometimes called, has its ins in an older Christian tradition twelve days of joyful, celebratory igious devotion following the birth of Christ Child. But often, the chaos and pressures allow to invade what is supposed to season of peace, exhaust us, and for t people to think of another 12 days observation-is a bit too much. Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf cation, considered the Twelve Holy hits between Christmas and Epiphany ne time when the Spirit of the vidual and the Spiritual World are most connected, making it the perfect time for special attention to our inner path of personal development. So we can use this time, a time of one year giving way to another, in amore quiet and reflective way. Lynn Jericho believes what's missing in Christmas is an opportunity to explore the 'inner dimensions' of the season, and so advocates making the old custom of the Twelve Days of Christmas into a new tradition in which she encourages us to mark each evening from December 25 through January 5 with a few minutes of reflection. The themes for each of these Holy Nights could help us restore the sacred dimension in our lives. You can choose your own themes, list of words, questions and reflections. Writing them down is a good idea. On the first night, reflect on 'general sixty'; think of three people who were generous in any way to you, and three more to whom you can reach out to with this quality. The second night, look at 'receptivity'; during the past year, what gifts from the universe have you neglected to accept or acknowledge? On the third, 'resilience'; how have or haven't you recovered your balance when something disturbed you? The next day, a quality we don't pay much attention to: 'vulnerability'; can you allow yourself to be vulnerable? Look at 'change ‘for day five; what changes did you face this pastyear,what say you through them, what qualities in yourself came up that you can celebrate? Then, 'flexibility'; how easy or hard has it been to go with the flow? Day seven, 'radiance'-look back at your darkest moments of the last year, and remember who or what lit the way foryou.On the eighth day, recall 'wonder did you make time to be touched, awed delighted? For day nine, 'wisdom'; which person, young or old, embodied wiselivingforyou this year? The next day you might look at foolishness'; we all have our foolish moments; have you laughed at yourself, forgivenyourselfOn day eleven think of those you find hard to forgive, and try to anyway. Anon the twelfth night-reflect on 'hope and your hopes for the year ahead. Each night after Christmas, have each member share one thing they are thankful for. Then on cutout shapes of coloured notepaper or leftover wrapping paper, ribbon and markers, you write the different things you are thankful for and hang them on your trsetting the tone for your year ahead.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Marguerite Theophil and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Marguerite Theophil and Speaking Tree,Times of India