Happiness from a moment of stillness- happy holidays!!

Happy holidays to everyone.  This morning I paused and gave myself time to be quite in the morning's darkness.  The only light on in the house was a single candle.  In the rush to live, sometimes I forget to be quiet and listen.  This time of year, I'm more drawn to be still than to shop.  A good friend of mine shared with me this beautiful poem by Rebecca Parker- thank you Nancy L!!!  Today, I'm passing on the favor...

May we all be happy in your busyness and your stillness,

       Denise

Winter Solstice

by Rebecca Parker

Perhaps for a moment the typewriters will stop clicking,

the wheels will stop rolling,

the computers will desist computing,

and a hush will fall over the city.

For an instant in the stillness,

the chiming of the celestial spheres will be heard

As earth hangs poised in the crystalline darkness

and then gracefully tilts.

Let this be a season when holiness is heard

and the splendor of living is revealed.

Stunned to the stillness by beauty

We remember who we are and why we are here.

There are inexplicable mysteries

We are not alone

In the Universe, there moves a Wild One 

Whose gestures alter earth’s axis toward love

In the immense darkness

everything spins with joy

The cosmos enfolds us

We are caught in a web of stars,

cradled in a swaying embrace,

rocked by the holy night,

babes of the universe.

Let this be a time we wake to life,

Life the spring wakes in the moment of winter solstice

Habits for a life of prosperity or ruin....

We are our habits.  Our habits save our brains a tremendous amount of energy.  This is good.  But... and there is always a but isn't there?  But our habits are often formed without our noticing.  Many were formed in childhood.  There aren't really even your habits, they are the habits of your environment. 

   Habits can create healthy, vibrant and extraordinary lives.  Habits can also get you stuck, unhealthy and exhausted.  It takes time, consistence and awareness to shift habits.  This is where intentions, rituals and practices come in.  Before I dive into how to shift habits here is one of my favorite quotes:  The author is unknown but the thought is timeless.

I am your constant companion

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure

I am completely at your command

Half the things you do you might just as well turn over to me

and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed

You must merely be firm with me

Show me exactly how you want done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically

I am the servant of all great men and alas, of failures as well.

Those who are great, I have made great

Those who are failures, I have made failures

I am not a machine

Though I work with all the precision of a machine, plus the intelligence of a man

You man run me for profit or run me for ruin

It makes no difference to me

Take me, train me, be firm with me

And I will place the world at your feet

Be easy with me and I will destroy you

Who am I?

I am habit

     Anonymous

Stay tuned, this month we are playing with habits,

                        Wishing you all the kindness of the heart and the spirit of an adventurer!!

                                                                                         Denise

If you like this post, you might like to read my post on practices - click here to read