Winter Solstice - the new ideal

And the birth of a new YOU in 2015

This very special time of the year truly starts December 21st, when the days are the shortest, the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky and the light in the horizon has these incredible, coolest, and sensational colors.
Before Christianity came into place everyone celebrated this shift in season as being the start of the New Year: December 21st.
This time being regarded as a spiritual time of inner growth, personal reflection, and transformation into whom we would like to become.

With long nights upon us and and short days, promotes this desire for each one of us to go inside and be more quiet and maybe less active in the world. If one can honor this natural occurring within, we start fulfilling our most inner desire, what Soul desires the most "quietude and introspection" Vs."distraction and chaos".

Unfortunately with the holiday obligation, we feel compelled to run around our cities, and buy countless gifts for family members and friends. Moving slowly into the "distraction and chaos", loosing our weekly or daily routine that helps us stay in balance and in harmony with our own truth, our higher self, our own divinity, and even loving ourselves.
We finish the holidays exhausted and completely depleted of energy or inspiration, and sometimes falling sick being totally overwhelmed. We usually can't wait to get back to our routine and move back into "quietude and introspection" a bit more...

We all do it, and every year is the same story. Let's try to do something different this year!

December 21st mark the first day of Winter. During that time we want to start envisioning a new ideal for ourselves. This is the time for changes. These changes won't show themselves until Spring just like budding trees or new grass sprouting from the ground. These changes will come into complete fruition in the Summer when flowers are popping out all over the meadows, in our gardens, and finally the fruit of our labor shows itself fully during harvest time in the Fall.

In January most people make their New Year's resolutions and it's a good thing because it is the right time to do this. The part that most don't understand is that a simple affirmation will not make it stick! By February most are giving up on their new plans, giving themselves ample excuses for why they can't go on...
What we lack to understand is that to form a new resolution and have it stick takes effort on our part and discipline. We need to keep our goal in front of us in plain view, looking at it everyday, contemplating it, feeling it, seeing ourselves being that new goal, embodying it until it becomes part of us.

For example; If you want to practice yoga weekly next year and not veer-off from this goal, you need to see the end result in having yoga in your life.
What does yoga mean to you? how do you feel after class? see the increase in stamina, a stronger body, more flexibility, see the smile on your face after class, feel the way your mind is calmer and more balanced, experiencing less anxieties, more assurance, finding even more courage to assume certain task in your life or stand up to issues, would you be sad or even miserable if you missed one class or a whole week of classes? what about the countless messages you get around yoga practice, the new level of awareness, more freedom in your heart,... (the list goes on)
If you want to make yoga stick in your life and be successful, this would be your contemplation day in and day out for the rest of the winter until it becomes part of you and a way of life.

Choose your topic. there can be several although I wouldn't take on more than two to be successful. Try it with one first and learn how to form these matrix and goals.
Don't give up on yourself and don't listen to the countless excuses your mind and ego will come up with or even your family and friends.

If you truly wish to change aspect of yourself or your life for the better, now is the time to dive into contemplating this bigger and better version of yourself.
Old habits will drop and new ones will eventually stick!
With long nights upon us and and short days, promotes this desire for each one of us to go inside and be more quiet and maybe less active in the world. If one can honor this natural occurring within, we start fulfilling our most inner desire, what Soul desires the most being "quietude and introspection" Vs."distraction and chaos".
In my personal experience, having a steady yoga practice and meditation teaches you to be disciplined, and helps you implement the new ideal in your life much faster with better results.
When Spring comes into place you will still want to be remodeling the new ideal of yourself so it grows to full blossom around Summer Solstice.

Wishing you a very happy New Year and have fun with the birth of the new YOU.

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