The holidays are, for me, complicated. I love my family, but we drive each other crazy. I hate consumerism, but--Ooooh, look how cute that is! I’m grateful to live close enough to visit family, but it means I spend a lot of my holiday driving from place to place and cutting one visit short to see someone else.
Maybe you can relate. There’s a cultural norm about how the holidays are supposed to be, and if yours don’t look like the shiny, happy, snowy(???), Currier and Ives version, you might end up feeling confused, frustrated, and inadequate. And if yours do look like that, you might still feel pressure to perform, or live up to some standard you don’t actually ascribe to.
The work of the yoga practice is to be present, in each moment, with whatever is happening. Whether you like the Care Bear jammies your grandma bought you, or wish you’d stayed at home in your snuggie, you can always come back to the breath.
As you move through this week, remind yourself that the breath is always there. Focus inward, even if only for a moment, even in the chaos or the loneliness. Let go of the story. Let go of the expectations. Take a breath. And another one. And one more, just for good measure.
Repeat as often as needed.
Wishing you peace and presence.
Much love,
Bear