The end of the age of Pisces and competition – the beginning of the Age of Aquarius and collaboration – the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – A time to reinvent ourselves.

Take the time today to reflect on 21 ways you can improve, change, continue, edit, omit, try and to be of service: to yourself and all of humanity.

Be the change you want to see in the world!

I know I want to improve on my personal performance, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I need to change my negative thinking, my terrible food choices sometimes, and my irresponsible mouth that speaks often-distorted opinions way too loudly.

I desire to continue my ten daily rituals. See day 35.

I know I want to edit my words, actions and responses more carefully.

I need to omit and delete harmful, processed and sugary foods from my diet.

I desire to try and succeed completing a 21-day strict vegan detox.

I know I am being of service when I feel internally rewarded and I see a smile inside my soul.

I just wrote seven sentences, yet there are more than 21 ways I included in those seven sentences wherein I plan on living in this age of transformation.

I encourage you to take the time today to review, wonder and write down how you will contribute in this ever-changing world in your ever-changing life.

As we evolve and develop – a new world will commence to materialize and reveal itself.  We have the power to make it an existence based on peace, love and compassion.  We can welcome and embrace a brave new world where justice, equanimity and level-headedness prevail even while co-creating, co-existing and co-discovering.

Take the time today!

Sadly my scenery is drenched in bucket amounts of precipitation and not of the anticipated white dust.  Wind and fog and tempest, oh my.

I did the only thing a girl could do and I took a good long happy bubble bath.

Sometimes I have inane, funny or crazy poetry in my head; please indulge and forgive me.

Scented ivory spheres on parade

Buoyant, translucent circles foam, gleam and sparkle!

Delicate bubbles immerse the body

I soak in a golden claw foot tub.

I hold the lightness of soap in hand

Palms weave in and out to design

Sculptures, shapes and molds,

Up and together like goblets of stars

I puff at my creations and they

Scatter and disappear.

Beads of pearly droplets linger

As the feminine vessel empties

Twinkled and polished body

I blot with citrine colored soft velvet,

Greeting the stormy day with a ping, a pluck and a pulse!

There are ten rituals I do daily or I fall apart.

1. Prayer – before my feet hit the floor, I open my eyes and pray to my higher power I call Goodness, ‘thank you, help me stay safe and sane today, guide me today and let me be of service, thank you.’
2. Meditate – I read something inspirational and sit still for at least five minutes, contemplating.
3. Journal – alongside my morning beverage, I write my morning pages and release all the clutter from my mind.
4. Check – I review my calendar, things to do, organize, map out my day and wrap my head around it; check the weather.
5. Eat – I try to stay in the healthy range and never miss breakfast.
6. Shower/Bathe/Brush/Etc. – If I am not spic and span, I don’t function well.  I never leave the house without lipstick either, ever; it’s a NY thing, I think.
7. Move – I like to get a walk or some sort of movement like yoga or stretch in. Any exercise counts. Otherwise my blood just doesn’t seem to circulate well.
8. Mantra – Every forty days, I repeat a new Sanskrit mantra using my mala beads.
9. Blog – This is new but has become my new normal, so, I am including it.
10. Bedtime – Every night, I make a cup of tea, review my day and my behavior, make notes on anything troubling me and curl up with a good book till my eyes get droopy.  I turn off the light and thank the Universe for keeping me safe and sane.

I am sure you have ten things you do to structure your day that you can’t live without doing too.  What are they?  Do any of the above appeal to you?

I just add what works for me and then it becomes a custom.  I feel naked if I don’t pray now and meditation wasn’t always a part of my life either.  Some rituals become a part of your daily grind and feel right for you, at this time of your life now and others may be something you need to adopt, modify or release altogether.

I am the kind of person who needs grounding, roots and stability so keeping a steady ceremony of time-honored practices helps me feel secure and in step with the flow of this uncertain life.  I feel I am making good use of my time and I don’t feel I have to do any one of these perfectly; I just need to do them obsessively compulsively every day.

There are no words to describe the sorrow and the indignation that I feel over the school shooting tragedy that took place yesterday in Connecticut.  I have not looked, read or listened to the news.  I only heard from others and as I heard more and digested it fully, I wept, I sobbed, I mourned.  An unnecessary,violent, human induced tragedy occurred and it is abhorrent.  My heart goes out to all the families and I pray the innocent souls are free.

In Tibetan Buddhism, a meditation practice called Tonglen may help us and others.

You start by breathing in all the pain of the horrific experience, you breathe out your compassion, wellness and thoughts of healing.  You breath in the anguish, you breathe out the empathy towards the suffering families and everyone involved.  You breathe in the sobbing, crying, all the grieving and you breathe out grace, goodness, faith and strength.

Then you take it to another level and breathe in the misery of all parents, all over the world, whom have lost their children, you breathe out peace, comfort and relief.

And you continue the Tonglen practice giving of yourself and connecting, breathing through the pain instead of around it, lamenting not in isolation, rather in conjunction with the human experience of loss, death and change.

The Universal question of the Unknown and Why? may never be answered but we can share our heaviness of heart and embrace our togetherness.  Tonglen is just a tool that may help with the torment and wretchedness as well as the anger and helplessness we all are feeling.  May all souls rest in peace.

Do you ever go shopping for someone beside yourself, let’s say around Christmastime, ahem, and think “Oh!  I would love this in a medium in black or pink!” – and as you proceed to checkout, you have one for your intended giftee and two for yourself?

This is happening to me especially this season with candles, lotions, fragrance and especially books.  I absolutely do not need another anything and I am riveted and enchanted by all that I see!

I kept my Christmas sprees to three stores: Pier One, Barnes and Noble and Mother’s Market.  My favorite materialistic places.

I love Pier One for their eclectic and exotic style.  Their colors, textures and earthy themes swallow me up like the suction from an Indian Elephant’s trunk.  Their wares are chic yet hippie yet retro yet glam.  I get mesmerized just standing in the middle of the store, observing all the bewitching merchandise and cluttered displays, like I am on a whirling carousel of rainbow, mirrored unicorns.  My senses sensually exploded as I left, helped by the artsy staff who walked me out to my car.

The famed aforementioned bookstore is still a refuge for readers and peppermint holiday latte lovers alike.  I spent the entire afternoon there, sipping, perusing and piling my stack of presents on the far counter till checkout time. I carried out one bag full of Daphne du Maurier, P.D. James and Dorothy L. Sayers – good old-fashioned suspenseful mysteries for myself and a heavy bag of goodies for others I hope they like.  I have always told my kids that money spent on a book you will read and perhaps treasure is never wasted.  Ideally, I envision myself reading by a well-tended fire, soft classical or meditative music playing, a pot of tea next to me, it’s cold, gloomy and rainy outside.  Pure comfy, cozy heaven wrapped up in the softest, animal print throw blanket I own. With a sigh, I eventually left, happy as a puppy wagging its little tail at the sight of its new owner walking through the door.

Mother’s is a supermarket of organic, sustainable, eco-friendly and healthy delights and it’s location is closer to me than Whole Foods, which is also in the same category. I can be entertained for hours.  In fact the other day, I fed on samples from the deli counter eating raw, vegan and natural, whole ingredients till I was stuffed like a vegetarian wild boar.  Then, I headed over to the handmade, unadulterated, no animal-tested cosmetics and essential oils section and I experienced scents all over my body from all over the world, in new and various combinations, and I felt as if I was floating on some Nirvana magic carpet ride when I exited.  Content and round like an enlightened Buddha.

If you haven’t already, shop at your favorite stores, and nurture your inner shopper without spending a dime this season by admiring, trying on, tasting and glancing over.  May you approach each gift you seek for others as an adventure and an opportunity to reward yourself as well, for your generosity.   It’s not frivolous to purchase one or two or three items on your own wish list that you would like to get for yourself for Christmas. You can always bring it back –  but no one can take away the moments you spent in these lovely spaces you personally love to be in and how you spend your money, allows the world to know where you want your money and intention to flow. It’s a statement.  Make sure you are heard, girlfriend.

Do you want to grow and be your best self, strive to reach your highest potential?

Have children. Then raise.

They will not only never let you get away with anything, they will also continually remind you of your double speak, mistakes and character flaws.

Seriously, if it wasn’t for our oldest, we might not have ever quit smoking, one of the worst vices we clung to from our teen years.  He harangued us all of his kindergarten and early years until we stubbed our Marlboro’s and Salem Light One Hundred’s out for good on Father’s Day weekend back in 1997, about three days apart.  He saved our lives.

How many times has my middle child called me on my hypocrisy, judgment or disingenuous gestures?  EVERYTIME!!! I haven’t gotten away with anything in her immediate radius since she was about ten.  And my kids have great hearing.  Even when I mumble under my breath.  Even when they are as far away as the east coast; transmission of my childish behavior is only a smartphone away.  She saves my soul.

The youngest, will break me of nagging, worrying and getting absolutely hysterical over little things –  for the good of all the family and everyone’s sanity –  if it kills her, before she’s off to college.  She has taught me to breathe, spoken to me in a gentle, soothing voice, explaining calmly and succinctly the logic of letting go and trusting vs. the unhelpful, irrational and detrimental energy I expend on nagging, worrying and getting absolutely hysterical. She’s saving my relationships.

If nothing else, I have learned what an imperfect human being I will always be; especially in  their eyes.  But every single C-section was worth it, because they have become young adults I am proud to know and I believe they are exemplary people who know how values, ethics and dedication can transform their own mother into an authentic woman who feels loved and respected despite their teasing.

We all need someone who has our best interests at heart. I have three lights that guide and instruct me and two contemporaries that have held me up on either side so I don’t fall down, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying.  I am blessed.

Today is the twelfth day in the twelfth month of the twelfth year.

How specific and unique is that?  Where will you be and what will you be doing at noon? At twelve minutes after?

Twelve is a cosmic number that deals with governing.  Here are twelve instances of twelve I came up with.  Can you think of any more?  Enjoy this auspicious day to the twelfth degree!!!

1. There are twelve days left til Christmas Eve hence the twelve days of Christmas.  Time to sing that song!!

2. There were twelve apostles.

3. There are twelve jurors for every court case brought to trial.

4.  The twelve steps of recovery and the twelve traditions of twelve step groups.

5. The twelve signs or constellations of the Zodiac.

6.  There are twelve months in a year.

7.  A clock’s face represents twelve hours.

8.  A dozen is twelve of anything.

9.  There are twelve inches in a foot.

10.  There are twelve petals of the lotus in the Anahata or heart chakra.

11.  There are twelve Nidanas or causes of existence in Buddhism.

12.  There are twelve animals in the Chinese Horoscope.