5 Senses Meditation ... Checking In With Myself

I added a new practice to my Sadhana.  I reflect on my 5 senses.

For many years I have reflected on the 4 elements every day... air, water, earth and light... and I have found it to be an amazing experience.  I had no idea that I could be so observant and how what I observed in nature could change so drastically from day to day or location to location.  I have often thought of capturing it all in a piece of daily pottery.  Hmmm, maybe something for the new year...

Anyway, I somehow decided it would be a great idea to do the same thing with my 5 senses because I could observe myself!  (I think I read it somewhere but I just can't recall!)  

I did it for the first time today and it went something like this...

Sight.  My eyes feel dry.  I would love some eye drops.

Taste.  I am really thirsty.

Touch.  My hands feel dry and could use some lotion.

Smell.  I can't smell.  My nose is stuffed up.

Sound.  I hear the dehumidifier humming in the basement.  I guess it is stealing the last bit of moisture out of the air.

I hadn't realized until that moment that I was feeling really dry!  It was a level of awareness of my physical being that I am not sure I have ever achieved.

I wonder how I will feel tomorrow!

  

Christmas Cookies ... This Year's Recipes

I spent today making Christmas cookies.  

I am not sure anyone likes receiving them anymore, but I just can't help making them.

This year I made....

 Cranberry White Chocolate Chip 

This was the family favorite!

Molasses Drops

These tasted like the all-time best gingersnap ever!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

These were tasty but the least of the bunch.  The flavors all competed a little too much.

Coconut Caramel Thumbprints

These were really interesting.  I loved the contrast of the savory coconut to the sweet caramel and of the flaky shortbread like cookie to the chewy caramel.

One was more delicious than the next.  Now I must go put on elastic pants and lay on the couch.

I Believe ... Because Santa is Magical and Magical Makes You Happy

I want to believe in Santa Claus again.

When my children were little is was so easy to be swept up in the magic of Santa.  They believed, so I almost did.  I talked about him like he was a real person, I got so excited in the days leading up to his arrival, I helped write letters and bake cookies.  

But now my kids are 7 and 9 and I think we are in our last year of believing.  They are still "all in" but I can tell there is this little glimmer of a question in their mind.  They already know that the men in the furry red suits you find at the tree farm and coming around town in the sled are not really Santa.  And I actually find myself trying to downplay Santa a bit and leaving their gifts in plain sight because I almost want to feed that question in their mind so that they are not crushed when they find out that there really is not Santa Claus.  Like I was.  In 2nd grade.  From my best friend. While making peanut butter Christmas cookies at an after school party.

Since I know that my days are numbered until my kids find out that Santa is not coming down the chimney and  delivering all of the gifts, I really want to find a way to go back to those days of believing in Santa so the Christmas doesn't lose all it's magic and excitement.  When I think back to the most magical days, it was when they were very little.  The excitement was not about the presents, it was about the man.    It was about the idea that there was this special person who knew all about you and cared about your hopes and dreams and loved you unconditionally and was genuinely jolly all the time.

So maybe, couldn't I JUST BELIEVE?  Couldn't I believe that there is this kindly old fellow up in the North Pole surrounded by funny little elves who keep tabs on us all and who showers us all with the gift of being extra happy and crafty and thoughtful and loving at Christmas time?  (I would love to believe that he delivers it all from his sleigh led by eight flying reindeer but I might have to think that one through.)

Could I be so childlike again to believe in something that sounds so crazy but makes me so happy?   Can I once again be swept up in the magic of Santa?  I think that I can!

I can accept that Santa isn't coming to eat my cookies and fill my stocking or attempt his way down my chimney.  I can let go of that charade and let gift giving change in my home.  But I can also accept that I don't need to disprove everything magical in the world with logic.  I can let go of needing to see to believe and needing to have answers to all of my "why"s and how"s.

So from this day forward, I do believe there is a Santa.  That is all I need to know.  And I might just leave him a few cookies, just in case.