This time of the year gets to a lot of us. As we set out to find the Christmas spirit, we instead find ourselves lost in the hustle and bustle. We rush from one thing to the next, buying, wrapping, baking, concerts, gatherings. It can all feel so overwhelming. When we reach this point, we need to turn to our breath, and take note.

Our breath- our life force. It flows, in and out, 24 hours a day without our effort and often without our awareness. It is the way that we receive the vital energy that drives our every moment. Just sit or lie quietly for a moment. Get to know your breath. Feel it flow, acknowledge its power, notice. As our lungs fill with precious oxygen and reach the top of each inhale, notice what happens, notice the pause. As the air flows out with our exhale and we reach the bottom of each breath, notice. Our greatest life force recognizes the need for, the power of a pause.

We need to take a lesson from our breath. When the world is spinning around you, when you feel rushed, stressed, overwhelmed- Pause. Trust me there is time. Even when it feels like we must keep moving, pushing onward, there is always time to pause. Pause and allow yourself to breath. Allow peace to enter your heart and your mind. Often times, as we do this, the way forward becomes clearer, we realize our priorities, we can see the path towards our goals. We might even find that we slow down enough to actually allow that holiday spirit to glow within us. Practice finding the pause as you go through your days, you will be amazed at just how much power it holds.