Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is the Solar New Year, celebrated as the return of the sun and often associated with rebirth. Also called the first day of winter, it may also sometimes be called Midwinter, as seasonal distinctions vary with latitude, climate, and culture.
This is the day when the sun appears lowest in the sky at noon. The actual astronomical event occurred at 9:48 PST this morning. The Earth reached the point in its orbit where the North Pole pointed most away from the Sun, due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. This is when the sun shone directly over the tropic of Capricorn.
At last, the days will begin to lengthen again. The light returns to end the domination of the dark. We can imagine that spring will come again, even if the spring equinox is a quarter of a year away.
"Even the winter holds the promise of spring."
Copyright Sue Redding.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Heavenly Touch - Spiral Eye Newsletter 12/2009 Holiday Issue
In this Issue -
Holiday Message
Quotations
Easing Holiday Angst
Heavenly Touch
* * *
Holiday Message
HAVE A PEACEFUL & JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON!
Soon will come the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again. Consider embracing the dark winter days and longer nights, valuing the time to go inward. Sometimes I can do that, but I hunger for the light.
Namaste (Honor the Light Within),
Sue Redding
* * *
Quotations
"One kind word can warm 3 winter months"
- Buddhist proverb
"Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
- Will Rogers
"Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them, for good or ill."
-Buddha
* * *
Easing Holiday Angst -
Five Stress Busters for a Joyous Season
You enter the holiday season with the best of intentions -- looking forward to time spent with family and friends, decorating, shopping, baking. But as soon as you pile holiday activities on top of an already busy life, you're likely to find yourself relating more to Ebineezer Scrooge than Martha Stewart.
Consider these five suggestions to keep holiday stress at bay:
1. Determine a Shopping Budget
For many, gift giving is an important part of the holidays, serving as a way to express love and appreciation for friends and family. But when the credit card bills arrive in January, you may discover you've extended your holiday stress well into the New Year. Plan your budget in advance, determine what you can spend, and stick to the plan.
2. Create a Time Budget
Many will make a shopping budget, but what about making a time budget? Before accepting every invitation this year, decide ahead how many parties you can and want to attend while maintaining your sanity. Make choices about your time commitments based on what you'd really like to do this year, rather than what you think you should do or what you've always done. Don't forget to leave time for yourself.
3. Set Food-Intake Boundaries
You'll likely be tempted to eat in excess, and don't be too hard on yourself if you don't stick to your pre-holiday eating standards. But do decide ahead of time just how much you'll deviate from your eating routine.
4. Stick to Your Exercise Regimen
Regular exercise is a powerful stress buster. You'll feel better, sleep better, avoid weight gain, boost your immune system, and maintain a positive outlook about yourself. While it may seem like an easy time concession to make, don't give in to the idea. Stick to exercise, and you'll thank yourself for it.
5. Take Time to Rest
Take time from your schedule to honor the cycles of the season. The holidays fall during winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year. Learn from nature, and get plenty of rest.
Copyright Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP).
* * *
Heavenly Touch
Massage's therapeutic benefits are well known. But beyond wellness, bodywork can have an emotional, even spiritual, impact on the receiver and the therapist. Exploring the spiritual side of massage and bodywork can be both provocative and insightful.
"With the miracle of human touch we effect the union of art and science, the integration of energy and structure in touch, and the conscious experience of ecstasy."
--David Lauterstein
Read more of Lauterstein's take on the spiritual aspect of massage and bodywork and how it translates into health, stability, and connection.
Touching Heaven | Massage Therapy Articles
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/614/Touching-Heaven
* * *
Please let us know if you would like to be removed from our email list. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Content of this newsletter is for information only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician.
Sue Redding, LMT 503-235-4839 www.SueRedding.com
Blind Faith Bodywork "Soothing for the Mind, Body & Spirit" Oregon Massage License #5974.
SE 35th & Hawthorne Portland, OR 97214
Holiday Message
Quotations
Easing Holiday Angst
Heavenly Touch
* * *
Holiday Message
HAVE A PEACEFUL & JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON!
Soon will come the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again. Consider embracing the dark winter days and longer nights, valuing the time to go inward. Sometimes I can do that, but I hunger for the light.
Namaste (Honor the Light Within),
Sue Redding
* * *
Quotations
"One kind word can warm 3 winter months"
- Buddhist proverb
"Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
- Will Rogers
"Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them, for good or ill."
-Buddha
* * *
Easing Holiday Angst -
Five Stress Busters for a Joyous Season
You enter the holiday season with the best of intentions -- looking forward to time spent with family and friends, decorating, shopping, baking. But as soon as you pile holiday activities on top of an already busy life, you're likely to find yourself relating more to Ebineezer Scrooge than Martha Stewart.
Consider these five suggestions to keep holiday stress at bay:
1. Determine a Shopping Budget
For many, gift giving is an important part of the holidays, serving as a way to express love and appreciation for friends and family. But when the credit card bills arrive in January, you may discover you've extended your holiday stress well into the New Year. Plan your budget in advance, determine what you can spend, and stick to the plan.
2. Create a Time Budget
Many will make a shopping budget, but what about making a time budget? Before accepting every invitation this year, decide ahead how many parties you can and want to attend while maintaining your sanity. Make choices about your time commitments based on what you'd really like to do this year, rather than what you think you should do or what you've always done. Don't forget to leave time for yourself.
3. Set Food-Intake Boundaries
You'll likely be tempted to eat in excess, and don't be too hard on yourself if you don't stick to your pre-holiday eating standards. But do decide ahead of time just how much you'll deviate from your eating routine.
4. Stick to Your Exercise Regimen
Regular exercise is a powerful stress buster. You'll feel better, sleep better, avoid weight gain, boost your immune system, and maintain a positive outlook about yourself. While it may seem like an easy time concession to make, don't give in to the idea. Stick to exercise, and you'll thank yourself for it.
5. Take Time to Rest
Take time from your schedule to honor the cycles of the season. The holidays fall during winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year. Learn from nature, and get plenty of rest.
Copyright Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP).
* * *
Heavenly Touch
Massage's therapeutic benefits are well known. But beyond wellness, bodywork can have an emotional, even spiritual, impact on the receiver and the therapist. Exploring the spiritual side of massage and bodywork can be both provocative and insightful.
"With the miracle of human touch we effect the union of art and science, the integration of energy and structure in touch, and the conscious experience of ecstasy."
--David Lauterstein
Read more of Lauterstein's take on the spiritual aspect of massage and bodywork and how it translates into health, stability, and connection.
Touching Heaven | Massage Therapy Articles
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/614/Touching-Heaven
* * *
Please let us know if you would like to be removed from our email list. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Content of this newsletter is for information only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician.
Sue Redding, LMT 503-235-4839 www.SueRedding.com
Blind Faith Bodywork "Soothing for the Mind, Body & Spirit" Oregon Massage License #5974.
SE 35th & Hawthorne Portland, OR 97214
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