This time of year, it’s easy to begin to recite unconscious, redundant holiday greetings such as Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, or Happy New Year. While a sincere sentiment might be your intention, could we just stop a minute and acknowledge those who aren’t feeling so merry and bright this season?
Holidays can be an emotional time of year for some, especially those who mark the holidays with anniversaries such as “This is the first holiday without (insert loved one’s name)!” Or, “I cannot believe it’s been so many years that (loved one) hasn’t been here for the holidays.” Remembering and reminiscing are part of the grieving process.
Rather than skirt around the grief or try to act as if it’s not there, consider these thoughtful and compassionate HAPPY options:
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
SWIHA,
Mindfulness,
Holistic Healing,
KC Miller,
Arizona,
Tempe,
integrative healing arts practitioner,
Holding Space,
Christmas,
Holidays,
IHAP,
winter solstice,
Connection,
Solstice,
Healing Procress,
Healing Process,
Space Holder,
Grief Stages,
Grief
Have you seen the holiday meme that says “Deck the Halls” and in a finer font “…just don’t deck your relatives?” As funny as the meme is meant to be, for some families, the holidays can be intense times where conflict and chaos abound. Calling a truce might be exactly what’s needed.
A favorite holiday story is that of Silent Night and the truce it brought. As the legend is told, there were two countries at war during the Christmas season. Both countries celebrated the tradition of Christmas by singing Silent Night in their own native tongues.
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
SWIHA,
Holistic Healing,
Reiki,
Holistic wellness,
Arizona,
Christmas,
Holidays,
Holistic Education,
Holiday Season,
Truce,
Transform,
Silent Night,
Peace,
Calm,
Honor,
Grace,
War Treaty,
Deck The Halls
A Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912) named Nan-in welcomed a university professor who came to learn about Zen. The Japanese master began to serve tea. Nan-in poured the professor’s cup full, and then some. As the professor watched the teacup flow, he eventually could no longer restrain himself and blurted out “It is overfull. No more will go in!” Nan-in then replied, “like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
western herbalism,
Holistic Nutrition,
Whole Foods,
Mindfulness,
Nutrition,
habits,
spiritual studies,
Mindful,
Dairy-Free,
Holidays,
Raw Foods,
Herbal Medicine,
herbal teas,
Holistic Education,
herbal remedies,
natures herbs,
Mindful Practices
The fast-approaching holiday season means time with friends and family, laughter and gifts, and—of course—lots of baked goods!
Many people are opting to go gluten-free because of sensitivity issues, to reduce inflammation, or simply because they’ve noticed a positive change by reducing or eliminating foods containing gluten. However, going gluten-free doesn’t mean missing out on delicious treats! Today, we’ll take a look at a few of the widely-available flour options that are friendly to this dietary need.
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Topics:
Motivational Monday,
Holistic Nutrition,
Holidays,
Gluten-free,
Baking
Season’s blessings, SWIHA commUNITY—
While most people are singing songs and feeling merry and bright, we must be mindful that, for some people, the holidays are rather blue . . . or even gray.
As one who is coming up on the second anniversary of family tragedy (two years ago, our son took his life due to complications of PTSD), I’m especially aware that the holidays can be tough. Even well-intended greetings such as a simple “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” can trigger feelings of grief, angst, or even anger.
Just this last week, I was witness to such an incident. As I pulled up to my regular Starbucks location I noticed a woman having a full-blown meltdown over an innocent greeting given to her by a kindly gentlemen collecting for the Salvation Army. All he said was, “Happy Holidays!”
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Topics:
yoga,
spiritual studies,
Holding Space,
Holy Reiki,
Holidays,
SWIHA Staff
Many of us have the goal of making wellness a priority in 2019...but why not start today?
The Holiday season is busy with travel, shopping and plenty of get-togethers. We're often giving so much of our energy, that we may not even notice when our reserves are low until we're exhausted, foggy-brained and sometimes even sick. By remembering self-care, you can be more present (no pun intended!) for your loved ones and let the Universe know that we're ready and open to receive the good that's in store for the new year.
We created a 12-day challenge based on some of the programs here at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. If you decide to embark on this journey with us, let us know how it's going by using #SWIHAWellnessChallenge on social media! (Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see posts from our commUNITY!)
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Topics:
wellness,
Massage,
Aesthetics,
yoga,
Meditation,
Reiki,
Nutrition,
Holistic health,
aromatherapy,
Holidays,
Wellness Challenge
The holidays are a time when we want to look and feel are best so that we can truly enjoy the company of our loved ones and the spirit of the season. Yet, it’s so easy to overindulge when faced with the wide array of traditional treats popularly consumed at the time. Sugar cookies, pies, alcohol-laden drinks, and other sweets can weigh us down and leave us feeling slower, sleepier, and less energized than usual. Meals that contain dairy can have a particularly negative effect on our health and well-being. In fact, excessive consumption of dairy products has been shown to cause skin troubles, increased mucus production in the respiratory system, slowed digestion, and the sudden onset of bloating, cramping, gassiness, and general tummy troubles.
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Topics:
Holistic Nutrition,
Recipe,
SOUL Food,
Healthy Eating,
Dairy-Free,
Christmas,
Raw Cuisine,
Holidays
