Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder This month we will be exploring Christmas/Yule, some traditions associated with this and the Winter Solstice. We will also be considering the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ and what this means to you and me. Yule (pronounced Ewe-elle) is known more commonly as the Solstice night. It is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Each day thereafter is then filled with more light, hope and promise because the light lingers a little longer. This is celebrated as a re-birth of the light, a time of inner illumination, clarity and renewal. In ancient times, it was considered a magical time of change, associated with the element of fire and a time when the gods shone their wisdom and good fortune. In Sweden, bonfires were lit on the 21^st of December to honour the gods Thor and Odin. Other gods associated with this time of year are Horus, Theseus, Appollo and it is believed that the Goddess becomes the Great Mother again and gives birth to the Sun King. Traditionally, a Yule log is brought into the house during a ceremony. It was believed that this should come from an Ash or Oak tree and be burnt for at least 12 hours and then extinguished. The Yule log is traditionally dressed in greenery and sometimes symbols or drawings are put on them with chalk as in Cornwall, England, where a figure of a man was traditionally chalked upon the Yule Log. Each religion also has its own individual way to celebrate at this time with festivals such as the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, Buddhists – Bodhi Tree Celebration (Dec 8^th), and Muslim faith celebrates  Eid-Ul-Adha during the 12^th month. Crystal Connections of the month are a selection of crystals relating to assisting others and spreading good cheer at this time of the year:

• Compassion – Rhodocrosite & Angelite
• Joy – Jade & Peridot
• Hope – Lepidolite & Moss Agate
• Stress – Ametrine & Celestite
• Loneliness – Aragonite & Carnelian
• Happiness – Tiger’s Eye & Citirine

Affirmation of the month: ‘Today I am breathing in the light and love of the season and sharing it with everyone I meet. During current times, the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ is so important, but what does that mean to you? There are many people on the earth at this time experiencing great hardship and living in poverty. Many people will find this time of year particularly difficult to bear and many will also be alone or homeless at Christmas, it is also a sad but true fact that the suicide rate increases during this time of year. The world, at times, can appear a very uncaring place for some and the true spirit of Christmas should be a time of coming together and helping your fellows. In this modern world of materialism and fast pace, sometimes it appears everyone is more concerned with the latest gimmick or celebrity life event than the welfare of others. There are those that feel abandoned, lost and thrown aside and cannot afford food to eat or feed their children. I am not trying to be negative, but to remind you all of the most wonderful and valuable gifts you can give to another…..the gifts of time, love and compassion and all of these are completely free.  If you have the great fortune this year to have a roof over your head, food for yourself and your families and loved ones with you, then give gratitude for this, and why not? Reach out to your communities and assist in some way. You could volunteer to help out at an event at Christmas, befriend an elderly person, give money to a homeless shelter or why not pledge to make a difference in some way, if not at Christmas, in 2015. Sometimes change is not always about ourselves… but is about how we perceive the world around us and how we interact with it, are we on the sidelines or are we actively engaging with it. In order for global change to take place, it is important to be heard to challenge the unjust and assist those who cannot speak up for themselves to have a voice. The true ‘Spirit of Christmas’ should be about true giving from your heart and soul, not just giving gifts and receiving in return should not be the expected outcome. Mother Teresa said,

‘At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’

I think you will agree this is an inspiring and thought provoking quote from a caring and inspiring lady. To finish my final article of 2014, I would like to tell you about a man who has been a true inspiration throughout my life as I feel it relates to the above. My father has always, throughout his life, had a smile for everyone and connected with others from the heart, seeing the good in everyone. I cannot remember a time when he did not do this even when he was facing his own challenges and struggles; he always showed compassion for others. He passed away in June 2014 and everyone who attended his service and who contacted us in the days following his passing, always started with the words ‘Pete always had a smile on his face and was such a happy man’.  Many of these people also did not know that in the last years of his earthly life my dad was not a well man at all and faced his own daily struggles with his health. My reason for telling you this is that the gift of a smile should never be underestimated and its impact on someone. My father taught me this amongst many other wonderful things about life and connecting with others. So I shall leave you with another wonderful quote by Mother Teresa and a message to go out and give the simple but powerful gift of a smile:

‘Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.’

In 2015 I will be changing the format of the Helix Healing column slightly. Every other month instead of a general channelled article, I will be providing a Helix Healing and Healthy Lifestyle related article with a question and answer section. Readers will be asked to submit their health related questions and me – Tina Paul, Darran Rowe (co-founder of Helix Healing) and one of the Helix Healing practitioners will provide responses to these working with our different guides from the collective. A free Helix Healing Angel Reading or free Helix Healing consultation will be provided in the following months in 2015: February – Free Love or Soul Connection Reading for a couple to celebrate Valentines May – Free Helix Healing consultation for an individual August- Free Reading for an Individual November – Free Helix Healing consultation for an individual A recipient will be chosen at random and the reading or a brief consultation report will be published in the next edition of Bellesprit Magazine. Views:]]>