Tis the season don't ya know. How can we ever forget! I was in Starbucks, in October, and the entire store was decorated with their Christmas (can I still say that?) shi...ah...stuff. I hate that. I hate the way we have been trained like beaten circus animals to start looking toward Christmas in a commercial way as early as August in this country. Then we start the process of insanity, or as my good friend Dr. John Mason likes to say, the Holidaze!

For most of us the joy of shopping for something special, that unique, personal gift from the heart to show appreciation for a loved one and to experience the joy of giving, are long gone. The experience has morphed into a mind numbing battle of fighting extraordinary traffic and crowds to beat everyone to the latest sale so we can make sure we buy a gift that is on the persons list. God forbid we should actually risk buying something they might not like!! People are without a doubt on the edge, and if you doubt this just ask any cop...assaults & thefts go up significantly during the holidays...can you say "stress".

Honestly, I'm not against the celebration of the season in whatever form you want, but I think we have moved so far away from the original intent that for most of us the Christmas season can't be over soon enough! Frankly, that's a shame. What should be one of the most wondrous times of the year has turned into something to be endured. But what can we do? How can we actually begin to experience the season in a more positive way?

I have several methods to try to make the seasons a lot more fun. My way of doing this is to watch the old Classics on T.V. with my family; movies like It's a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Scrooge, Charlie Brown Christmas and so on. We get the whole family involved in decorating the house. We play Christmas music and bake all kinds of bad stuff. I also take time to meditate in silence, to feel the spirit of the season based upon my own faith. There are so many ways to make the seasons more magical and fun! John Mason makes a sport of shopping on Christmas Eve. He goes to a mall and lets his intuition guide him to gifts while he watches all the stressed out MEN running around buying last minute gifts in a full sweat. Now that's a real sport - pure entertainment!

Do yourself a favor when you feel the pressure of the season crushing down on your spirit. Take a few moments to sit in quite reflection over the true meaning of the season and move your actions to support your personal vision of what the season really means to you. I guarantee it will take the edge off the insanity and help you to enjoy the positive aspects of this amazing time of year.

I know what you are thinking. You think I'm going to hammer you about over indulging through the holiday. How you should manage your portions, choose healthy foods, make better choices. Screw that! Enjoy yourself; eat, drink and be merry. Then drop the hammer and get back on those healthy choices when life returns to "normal" or you will have to grab your love handles and carry yourself out to the trash where the losers are!!!

No special tips this month, but I do have some advice. As we discussed above, sometimes the crush of the season can really start to overwhelm our spirits. This is where exercise really comes in to play as something that is invaluable to altering our moods. When we exercise we release all those good feeling chemicals like endorphins that help to blow off stress and improve our focus and mental health. Bottom line, set some time aside each day for whatever form of exercise you like to do and it will help to take that edge off so you can enjoy the true spirit of the season. Honestly, this is really important to helping you maintain a healthy balance when you start to loose that loving feeling.

This month's mantra for your affirming pleasure:

"Peace on Earth and good will to all"

Most of our mantras are affirmations to the self, to help improve some aspect of our survival, or to help us obtain a higher goal. This month, in keeping with the flavor of trying to feel the true meaning of the season, I'm offering a mantra that if everyone in the World practiced for the next 30 days we would see profound change. When you repeat this mantra, visualize a world where peace and good will were the central forces in all actions. See yourself playing your part and then put that into practice in as many interactions as possible. One way to do this is when you are shopping, and you finally get through the line to the sales person who looks like they just survived hurricane Katrina. Look that clerk right in the eyes and thank them for working so hard. Watch the change that takes place in their demeanor and you will have seen a small sample of the power of peace and good will at work.

Now, sit or lie back comfortably. Take three deep breaths, pausing after you inhale and then exhale fully and completely. After you have taken your first three breaths, just breathe normally. Close your eyes and let any tension you may be holding in your muscles just begin to melt away. After you get centered and you feel your breath begin to quite down, repeat the mantra; "Peace and good will to all" to yourself for the next five minutes. Say this mantra with conviction and visualize a world that practices this philosophy!

As many times as you can throughout your day, stop what you are doing, take one deep breath and repeat this mantra. You can do this when the phone rings, or when you look at your watch, or anytime you feel the need to just slow down for a brief moment and focus. The power of setting a positive intention throughout your day should not be underestimated. It can literally change your life. Make this short time commitment everyday and begin on the path of empowerment.

For those of you who live locally in the Sonoma County area I thought I would feature one new business each newsletter where I know the person involved and have done business with them in the past. The people featured in this section are so exceptional; they come with my highest recommendation. A different service will be featured each month for your review.

Want a great, unique gift idea for the holiday? Of course you do. Laura Taylor is an Arbone cosmetics sales rep. I really like Arbone products (for both men and women) because they are all plant based with ZERO chemicals. They have everything you can imagine, from full gift baskets to stocking stuffers. Just contact Laura via her website to learn more.

Well, that's all for now. May the Warrior Spirit guide and protect you always, and risking a non-politically correct injunction...Merry Christmas!

Rodger.