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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 11 2011 : 7:06:30 PM
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So I have begun to notice a drastic difference between this Christmas season and last Christmas season which indicates some growth and perspective change and I thought I would share a bit about it here on the forums.
What I have come to notice is that every Christmas season has been filled with an awful lot of "humbuggery" on my part. All I seem to be able to see around me during the holidays is a whole lot of (what I would call) "materialism".... the "true spirit of Christmas" (as I see it) has been lost and this has caused me to be a bit of a grinch during Christmas time in the past.
What I have noticed this season has kinda amazed me. Everywhere I look I see people overflowing with kindness and generosity and there is no shortage of people going out of their way to help those around them. This shift in perspective was really noticed today during a conversation with the receptionist at the yoga studio I teach out of on Sundays. She was talking to me about how she couldn't go into a shopping mall during Christmas time because of the rampant materialism and "cut-throat shopping" which made her sick to her stomach. When reflecting on this I easily understood exactly what she was talking about as it has been my own perspective during Christmas time for as long as I can remember. But this year things have been much different although I didn't realize quite how different until today during/after this conversation. I spent the majority of the day yesterday at the mall with my daughter looking for Christmas presents for my wife. Usually I wouldn't be able to spend more than half an hour in the mall without becoming very tense and being overwhelmed with desire to flee. But this year was much different. Everywhere I looked I saw people going out of their way to help others, people being courteous and aware of those around them, and people generally being friendly and kind... a stark contrast to the way I would normally see things.
Having this conversation today and realizing that at the mall yesterday I didn't feel like I normally would spawned some inquiry here. As I looked at myself and the way I am perceiving Life right now I realized that I truly see things as I am, not as they actually are. What I see around me is a direct reflection of how I see myself. If I see myself as greedy and self-centered that is how I will perceive those around me. If I see myself as filled with kindness and compassion, I will see those around me in that light also. This really highlighted for me the truth in the old adage that says something like, "The more awake we become the more awake everyone else becomes."
This "understanding" really settled into my body this afternoon as I was shoveling the sidewalk. A man was walking down the sidewalk I was shoveling and as he passed me he said "Merry Christmas"... this was all it took to send waves of euphoria through my whole system... the gratitude was overflowing. I was filled with an intense energy of thankfulness... thankfulness for being able to perceive the beauty and awesomeness in Life and not to see only the stuff that is "wrong" with it, which has been a habit I have been stuck in for a very long time. It is so refreshing to be able to enjoy a time of the year that I have despised for decades and to see other people embracing this season of kindness and selfless service to others.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this and to say (probably for the first time ever) a heartfelt Merry Christmas to you all.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.
Love!
Carson  |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 02:29:49 AM
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Merry Christmas to u too...thx for sharing |
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amoux
United Kingdom
266 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 04:21:13 AM
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| Merry Christmas Carson - beautiful post |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 04:50:24 AM
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Bah Humbug and a Merry Christmas too all ho ho ho  |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 11:56:42 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
...at the mall with my daughter looking for Christmas presents
Hey Carson,
I feel your warmth and generosity of spirit in the shift you describe. I also notice what to me is a key detail in making the shift make sense: "...with my daughter." This year, I notice that the whole "Christmas spirit" seems to work best when seen through the eyes of young children.
And for me, this has been a wonderful season of letting go. As I release the sadness of not having a biological child, is see godchildren everywhere.
Love
Be
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faileforever
USA
190 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 12:10:58 PM
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"As I looked at myself and the way I am perceiving Life right now I realized that I truly see things as I am, not as they actually are. What I see around me is a direct reflection of how I see myself."
This is so true and so beautiful, thanks for sharing Carson! |
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stevenbhow
Japan
352 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 10:24:58 PM
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| I always wonder what is the proper way to say "Merry Saturnalia" or "Happy Sol Invictus" with out offending anyone. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2011 : 11:25:30 PM
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 03:42:27 AM
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| Beautiful sharing and happy holidays to you brother Carson and to all the AYP family |
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stevenbhow
Japan
352 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 02:58:39 AM
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Akemash*ta Omedeto Gozaimasu. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!
New Year Congrats thank you. Please be kind to me. (In Japanese) |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 03:18:33 AM
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| Thanks for sharing this - I was just getting ready to likewise comment on how the holiday is different for me this year! (will post separately) Wishing you a very Happy Holiday, bro. |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 05:45:40 AM
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Dear Carson,
I've just shared this at Radha's topic also... This is a small sentence which has been shared by my teacher in a recent email exchange with another friend.
We don't perceive the world, we perceive our perceptions of the world. So we create a world of perceptions.
Love,
Ananda
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 07:18:09 AM
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| This is what Castaneda's books are about. Although they appear to be about dark sorcery, they are about controlling your perception to change the world. |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 08:05:35 AM
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| Change the view, change the world. No limits. Create the world as Peace on Earth and Good Will to all. |
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cosmic
USA
821 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 2:39:18 PM
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Hey broham, I can relate to your experience. I've also been going through a shift in the last couple years, in my relationship to the holidays. I used to enjoy ranting about the excessive consumerism that I perceived Christmas had become. A couple years ago, I was watching Charlie Brown's Christmas and got to the part where Linus starts ranting about the commercialism of Christmas. I realized that he's been ranting about it since 1965, so my "great observation" was nothing new. I was able to drop it right then and there.
My shift this year is more about my own judgements of Christmas, rather than my perception/experience of it. I'm seeing in people the greater kindness and more willingness to help each other that we'd call the "Christmas spirit", and I'm also seeing the cut-throat shopping aspects as well. The difference for me is that I'm not judging any of it, and my attitude about Christmas is rather positive. I'm not concerned anymore whether or not people "get" Christmas and what it's about. I'm feeling uplifted during this season, and I realize that people will experience it however they choose to, so it's all good.
I went to a very crowded Wal-Mart recently and almost got hit by 3 cars in the parking lot. People were speeding and zig-zagging across lanes and whatnot. When I got to the checkout counter inside, the man behind me helped the woman in front of me pay for her stuff. She didn't have enough money, so he put about $20 of her purchase on his credit card for a total stranger. And wished her a merry Christmas.
That's all I have. Thanks for opening this discussion. Talk to you soon brotha
Merry Christmas to everyone here!
Love
cosmic |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 3:20:51 PM
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quote:
I went to a very crowded Wal-Mart recently and almost got hit by 3 cars in the parking lot. People were speeding and zig-zagging across lanes and whatnot
unbelievable, worse than Beirut malls
quote:
She didn't have enough money, so he put about $20 of her purchase on his credit card for a total stranger. And wished her a merry Christmas
one does not have to wait for celebrations in order to give....spontaneous giving all the time... |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 03:33:39 AM
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that is really cool
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christinev
Australia
5 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2011 : 07:50:41 AM
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| thank you carson |
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Seeing Life as we are
