 |
| A flowering Zygo Christmas cactus and Buddha sitting on my kitchen window sill. See the orbs of light. |
I've always been a fan of
bringing nature indoors. However lately I've been doing so more than usual as I feel the meditation that comes with creating sacred spaces with natural elements in my home is healing my saddened heart and swirling mind from the destruction of hurricane Sandy, last Friday's horrific school shooting in Connecticut and also a myriad of personal events I've recently been moving through.
As we sit in the darkest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and await the sun's rebirth on
Friday December 21st, the Winter Solstice, we can receive a ray of hope if we choose as it is the highly prophesied end to the Mayan calender. The legend suggests a New Earth that will be rich in truth and boundless compassion will emerge. It is hard to believe these days if you watch the news, read the paper or check your friend's status on Face book. Therefore I've been finding it helpful to do as our spiritual ancestors did days before the Winter Solstice. Like them I've been
meditating on the shadows of my psyche and
working towards dispelling what's dark from my consciousness by taking plenty of deep breaths, candlelight gazing, going on long silent walks and ahhh yes, making sacred spaces with a variety of natural influences.
Ancient Europeans started the tradition of
bringing evergreens into the home days before December 21st, winter's advent. They did so because evergreens remain green all year round and are regarded as
symbols of immortality, rebirth and resurrection set against a barren winter. Here are a few ways other than the standard Christmas tree and wreath on how I brought the outdoors in since Thanksgiving. I didn't limit myself to only using evergreens as I find the silhouette of barren branches, the color of Christmas flowering and the drape of red & green ribbons are just as mesmerizing as they equally stir the energy of new things to come.
 |
| My husband Amit's Aries Ram head, gifted ? and dressed for the holidays. |
 |
| A Buddha like wooden owl www.potterybarn.com leftover Thanksgiving dried flowers in a heavyweight vase www.ikea.com and a bouquet of greens turned upside down |
 |
| More white painted branches in a gifted cobalt vase www.tiffany.com gives an icy & wintry look |
 |
| After hurricane Sandy I found this perfect piece of driftwood along a riverside path. It perfectly rests along a lonely corner in my home. I adorned it with ceramic bells that I cut off from a very tangled bell chime I had hiding in a closet. Also tons of marsh stalks were destroyed from Sandy's blow. I took two that were salvageable and put them in a tall and weighted vase alongside my new found wooden addition. |
 |
| Cinnamon scented pine cones in a vintage platter resting on the floor. It is the first thing you smell as you open the front door. |
Happy Winter Solstice & Peace on Earth!
