A More Conscious Christmas

Herb - Our 1st (tiny) Living Tree

This year I’ve become so much more conscious about how much my choices effect the world that I live in. I’ve also become more conscious about my actions being in alignment with what I say/think/feel that my values are. So as we got closer and closer to Christmas I really began to feel challenged around the idea of getting a tree. I’ve always had a tree – it’s part of the tradition that I grew up with. But how could I in good conscience support the practice of cutting down a tree just so I could have something to decorate, look at for a few weeks and then throw out. I just couldn’t do it. So I avoided up until last week the whole thought of a tree at all. I’ve had numerous twitter conversations with eco-friendly and consciously aware people about the whole tree thing and even too about the idea of sending out cards and how that affects our environment – I’m still wondering what the carbon footprint of a Christmas card is and how many are sent each year….

Anyway I was on my way back from a visit to my fave crystal shop in Milford, NH (The Quartz Source – a magical place indeed if you are ever in the neighborhood) and stopped for some Hunza Raisins at Earthward a local Health Food grocery. They are located next to a greenhouse and there right outside the door of the green house – in answer to my prayers of how to have a tree without killing one – there sat Herb. Herb is my tree this year. He told me his name, he showed me where he wants to be planted and he was delighted to come home with me. He’s lovely and small and sweet and a bit prickly to decorate. He’s found a temporary home (no more than 7 days inside they said) right beside the fireplace.

Son James came in and said “That’s LAME Mom” but he’ll get used to the idea and I hope will make it a tradition that he brings forward to his family someday when he’s older and everything that I do/say/believe isn’t so LAME to him anymore (13 is an interesting time!). We decorated Herb last night – after dinner and before going out to remove the almost 2 feet of snow we received to welcome in the first day of Winter.
Here’s what Herb looks like fully dressed for the season!

Herb - Dressed for the Holidays

Hope you enjoy your holidays and give some serious thought to all the “traditional” things that you do – it’s important to shine the light of your awareness on not only what you do but why. Sometimes a family tradition can be set aside because it just doesn’t make sense any more. You can honor what came before you – learn from it and move on to create something new. You don’t have to be stuck doing the same things over and over again just because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”. Change can be a wonderful, good and true experience. Learning to not only navigate change with acceptance and grace but to become a change initiator when the time is right is a lesson that we can all benefit from. May you find peace in your heart and joy in your spirit not only during this “Season of Peace” but through each and every day that you receive the breath of life on your Earthwalk. With great love and much light – Happy Holidays to all who celebrate in every tradition and every religion – the returning of the Light.

Amethyst Wyldfyre is a multidimensional healer, artist, author, speaker, performer, soul path and psychic development coach who talks to trees, stones, clouds, animals and snowflakes in addition to members of the human family! She can be reached through her website or through her blog.