by Christopher Van Buren
The holidays are a great time to practice being on center. There’s nothing like a few stressed out people on the highway or in line at the store to take you completely out of your inner zen. There’s always too much to get done and not enough time (and barely enough money) to do them. Ahh, what better place to test your spiritual practice? Anyone can have inner calm and stillness when things are humming along peacefully, but it’s a rare master who can hold his or her center during the holidays.

Most likely, you have your favorite practices for calming and centering in the midst of frantic energy. But here are a couple of insight to consider adding to your arsenal:

First, let the frantic energy actually feed your inner calm. You can establish the craziness as the trigger for moving more deeply into a calm and centered space. The more crazy and frantic the world around you gets, the more deeply you slip into your zen repose. The trick is to setup the trigger, so you don’t have to think of it…because it happens automatically. Try visualizing yourself in a peaceful state while standing in the middle of Wall-Mart the day before Christmas. Try going out to a busy shopping area…not to shop, but to practice your conscious (eyes open) meditation. It’s actually quite satisfying.

Next, remember that the most important thing during this season is the connection you make with yourself and others. If you stay on this purpose, the stressed-out behavior of others will not trigger you, but maybe even allow you to move into a deeper connected state. This is especially useful for one-on-one interactions (family gatherings, etc.). It’s helpful if you can lift yourself out of the “scene” in which you find yourself and observe from a detached place. If little Jimmy spills his punch all over your white leather couch, remember that this moment being shared with Jimmy could quite possibly be one of the life-altering moments in his journey–that he keeps with him forever. You were there…and maybe even helped to create it.

ll in all, the special craziness of the holidays makes a terrific playing field for spiritual practice. Even if you go off center from time to time, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

Namaste