Reawaken to CHRISTmas

If you are one of the brave ones who still says “Merry Christmas” versus “Happy Holidays”, good for you! But even when you say, “Merry Christmas”, do you say it in the spirit of what it really is or do you say it stressed to the max because of the added financial burden or seeming lack of time for tree decorating, shopping, baking, etc.? Every Christmas season (which seems to roll around faster every year), the challenge is to remember what “Christmas” is all about. Many would certainly say it is everything but “Merry!” I want to share with you what I believe a “Merry Christmas” represents along with one simple suggestion to make it the “Merriest” ever!

My favorite part from the "Sermon on the Mount" is when Jesus says, “Ye are the Light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your Light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 (King James) Jesus’ birth and life was to help you to remember who you are. You have a Divine Spark of Light within to live a compassionate, powerful and miraculous life! The Christmas season is the time to reawaken to that Divine Spark of Light that lies deep within your heart – to remember who you are! As you do this, then you can shine your Light brightly throughout the Christmas season demonstrating a life of love and compassion as did Jesus! What better present could you possibly give to your friends and family?! It is the same gift God gave to you through the birth of Jesus – a Divine Light shining brightly into the darkness! A “Merry Christmas” is the “Joy” of you shining your “Light” brightly, beaming love and compassion as Jesus so perfectly demonstrated.

So how do you reconnect to that Divine Light within to have the Merriest Christmas ever? Here is what works for me: 10-15 minutes a day in meditation. Meditation has been proven to be the quickest, surest way to connect with the Joy within you. I’m sure many of you are now saying, “Oh sure…let me just add that to my list on top of shopping, baking, mailing presents, etc.!” But again, let me ask you…”What is a Merry Christmas?” Wouldn’t the brief but powerful time you spend in meditation be worth having the ability to truly experience a Merry Christmas? Also, many of you are probably saying, “I’ve tried meditation before, I can’t quiet my mind and not only that it kills my knees to sit in the lotus position.” Before you discount this idea, let me tell you there are many, many forms of meditation such as a journey meditation, strolling through nature, focusing on the breath, listening to soulful music and what works for one person may not work for another. Out of all the many forms, I’m confident one will work for you! The main thing is to take the time to remember who you are – to reconnect to that Divine Light within so you may shine your Light brightly as Jesus, not only throughout the Christmas season but every day!

Have a Joyous- Merry Christmas!

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Denna J. Shelton, Copyright, 2010

Gratitude

"Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot." - The Hausa of Nigeria

As Thanksgiving approaches, thoughts turn to gratitude. For some, it’s the once-a-year holiday ritual around the dinner table as each person states what they are most thankful for, i.e: family, health, job, etc.

Having an attitude of gratitude throughout the year, however, is nothing short of trans formative. That’s because of the universal law that states: What you focus on expands. In other words, what you appreciate appreciates. And, where attention goes, energy flows.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes that help remind me to have an attitude of gratitude throughout the year!

"Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality." - Alfred Painter

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." - G.K. Chesterton

"Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty." - Doris Day

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward

"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has plenty: not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some." - Charles Dickens

"Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road." - John Henry Jowett

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Denna J. Shelton, Copyright, 2010

Inner and Outer Fitness

"When you reflect your Inner Self through your Outer Self, you touch the lives of others in positive ways. You help them to remember their true essence - their Inner Self."

A lady attended my class with a knee brace on her right knee. When I asked her what had happened, she said a sports orthopedic doctor told her that she had over-trained her quadriceps and under-trained her hamstrings, and this had actually created an imbalance resulting in displacement of her patella. Just as over-training one body part in your workouts can create an imbalance and an injury to your body, so it is when the focus on yourself is one sided. If your focus is all on the external, you can have feelings of discontentment and on-going restlessness. You will find you are always striving for the next external gratification to give your life a sense of passion and purpose. You may create strain in your relationships or simply feel ill at ease.

It is not an easy task to balance your Inner and Outer Self. You are bombarded with messages from the media that you must look a certain way. You are told your value is in your dress or pant size and the image you present to the world. You compare your body to others to see how you measure up. (A psychological study in 1999 found that three minutes looking at a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and shameful.) You are led to believe that your happiness lies outside of yourself. You think if you have a particular car, bigger house, more credentials or the perfect partner, then you can feel good about yourself. Yet, we have all experienced the people who have a glow about them even with all of their imperfections and bad hair day. Others are drawn to them like a magnet. These people clearly demonstrate inner fitness!

The question becomes then, how do you become fit on the inside? The simple truth is …Adapt a spiritual practice! To become physically fit, you must eat properly and exercise. So it is to become fit on the inside: proper spiritual nourishment and spiritual exercise! Here are three simple choices to implement daily for inner fitness:

1. Listen to Soothing Music – Take time from your day to sit back, take deep breaths, and digest soothing, peaceful music that quiets your mind and feeds your soul. Dr. Joel Robertson in his book, Natural Prozac, states “Music is one of the most powerful tools for changing brain chemistry. It alters our chemistry instantly, with no known negative side effects. If chosen well, music can be medicine for the mind and soul.”

2. Spend time in Nature – We spend so much time indoors, focused on the busyness of our lives. But much of what we need can only be found in nature along with the trees, bubbling brooks, and open sky. In nature we experience the nurturing embrace of Mother Earth. You can’t help but experience a different sense of self while walking in the woods or traversing a mountainside. When it is impossible to be outdoors, view beautiful nature footage on your television. “Visual exposure to natural settings has produced significant recovery from stress as indicated by changes in physiological measures such as blood pressure and muscle tension.” -Dr. Felf, ed. The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development.

3. Meditation – Don’t panic! You don’t have to sit in the lotus position trying to quiet your mind up to an hour. Benefits of meditation can occur in as little time as fifteen minutes a day and there are many different meditation techniques to choose from; guided, moving, sounding, or breathing meditations to mention just a few. When you take the time to quiet the mind chatter and listen to the voice of your soul, spiritual growth occurs by leaps and bounds.

Being physically fit adds quality and quantity to your life! But we are not only physical beings, we are also spiritual beings. One builds upon the other. Nurturing yourself daily will balance your Inner Self with your Outer Self. It will bring you more joy, harmony, and peace. Creating this balance creates a glow around your presence that others cannot help but notice. When you reflect your Inner Self through your Outer Self, you touch the lives of others in positive ways. You help them remember their true essence - their Inner Self!

 A meditative moment...C

Denna J. Shelton, Copyright, 2010 http://www.twentygems.com/

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Small Things with Great Love

“We must be the change we want to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

I have a very simple but powerful suggestion on how to be that change. Be the change by focusing on Small Acts with Great Love! Now, I did not come up with that. It was Mother Teresa who said, “We can do no great things –only small things with great love.” Here is a true story example:

An old woman walked with a ramble as she pushed her shopping cart full of her worldly possession. She was dirty, her hair unkempt, her cloths torn, she reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. Most of her teeth were missing. She stopped and asked Jill for some change. Jill wanting to display a small act of kindness invited her to lunch and she agreed. They went across the street to an outdoor café so the old woman could watch over her shopping cart while they ate. When they were ready to leave, Jill felt good about herself but then the old woman asked her for a hug. It was then that Jill had to face herself and all the hidden repulsion and bias that she had for this woman. She gave her a passing type of hug and instantly felt shame. The old woman thanked Jill for lunch and began to ramble off. Jill stood there for a moment and realized that she had failed to give this woman the one thing that cost nothing, Love!

She called to the woman and caught up with her and asked her if she could give her a real hug and she agreed. She got past, and I quote “her own stench and gave that woman the best hug she has ever given anyone.” This was a small act with great Love.

Listen intently without interrupting, smile at a stranger, or waive to a neighbor. These are all small acts with great love. Quoting Mother Teresa again she said, “Do not worry about why problems exist in the world – just respond to people’s needs. We feel what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but that ocean would be less without that drop.” It is time NOW for everyday people to stop feeling powerless about doing some grand thing in the world and be empowered to see the impact of their small actions, all adding up collectively.

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Denna J. Shelton, Copyright 2010

Natural Prozac

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everday life." - Max Heindel


Dr. Joel Robertson in his book, "Natural Prozac", states that listening to soothing music is a powerful tool to instantly change the chemistry in your brain with no negative side effects. He says, “If chosen correctly, it can be medicine for the mind and the soul.”

20 years ago scientists experimented with plants and the music of Bach. They found that his music caused the plants to grow faster and healthier, while the hard rock music had a negative effect on the plants. It stands to reason then that music also affects the human organism in ways that we may not realize.


The next time you feel your stress levels climbing, tune into soothing music and just see how quickly your mood changes! Add some deep breathing to that and I guarantee you will feel a whole lot better.

A moment of soothing music....
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Denna J. Shelton, Copyright 2010

Energy Vampires

"Two men look out the same prison bars; one sees mud and the other sees stars." - Frederick Langbridge

Have you ever heard the phrase, “We become part of what we are around?” The people you associate with have a profound affect on how you feel and ultimately what you achieve!

How do you feel after listening to negative people? You probably feel listless and drained, right? Renowned Psychologist and Motivational Speaker, Jack Canfield, describes them as “energy vampires” – they suck all the positive energy out of you. On the other hand, how do you feel when you’re around people who are positive and enthusiastic? I’ll bet you have more energy and are encouraged and inspired.

We have a choice in who we hang out with. I’m not talking about your spouse or significant other. I’m referring to relationships both at work and in your leisure time. I have a relative who is very negative. She is as Canfield describes an “energy vampire." I’ve had to put limits on my involvement with her. I haven’t abandoned her but I do not go out of my way to call her. I am in favor of trying to help those who are negative. I think we should make efforts to steer them in a more positive direction. But if we’ve tried for many years and that person insists on being negative, maybe it’s time to severely limit the amount of time we spend with that person. Those who occupy your time have a significant impact on your most priceless possession…your mind!

In the last few years there has been a growing body of psychological research bearing out the power that one individual’s mood can have on others. Psychologists call it “Emotional Contagion." A long term researcher, Richard Saavedra, from the University of New Hampshire states, “It is one of the most robust phenomena I’ve ever seen. And it’s all unconscious.”

We become part of what we are around! Surround Yourself with Positive People.

Positive reflection...
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Denna J. Shelton, Copyright, 2010

Nature for Stress Reduction

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."-Frank Lloyd Wright

Dr. Felf in his book, "The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development", states that exposure to nature settings produces significant recovery from stress in physical measurements such as blood pressure and muscle tension. I can vouch for that!

One of my very favorite things to do is to go hiking with my two over-grown labador retrivers, Eli & Bogart, at a nearby park. It is a great place to get in touch with nature. There are many different hiking trails for several miles that cover about 400 acres of beautiful dense forest. In the Spring there are tons of dogwood & if the sun hits them just right, it looks like a forest of twinkling white lights. It is dense with lush green foliage during the summer months. And in the fall, you are surrounded by brilliant reds, oranges & yellows. But honestly, although I love all of the seasons there, I think my favorite is winter. All of the leaves are off the trees & you can see for miles. It is wide open. This is when I take Eli & Bogart off their leashes and say “Run, boys…Run” and they run like the wind. It feels like total freedom!

No matter how stressed I am, within five minutes of being in nature, I have not a care in the world. It quiets all the mind chatter and frees my Soul. Spending time in nature isn’t always possible. But viewing nature scenes on your television or computer is and it has also proven to have great calming effects. A moment in nature