'Merry & Light' - A Christmas Candle-Lighting Meditation

What's the significance of a Christmas Tree, decorations, carols or gift-giving? This extended candle-lighting meditation is especially designed to bring meaning to some of the traditional symbols and icons that hallmark our Christmas celebrations — to help make our Holidays more merry and 'light'.

Meditation soundtrack: 'Holy Night' composed by Tomomi Kato

Transcript

You you As we continue our journey through this year's season of holy days and festivals of light today's meditation practice is designed to bring light and meaning To some of the popular symbols and practices that we hold dear during the Christmas season We begin by taking a moment to completely relax Your breath will take you to that place of serenity Just breathe in deeply pause momentarily and Then exhale completely As your breath falls into this rhythmic pattern Every part of you begins to let go to uncoil and unclench Relax your toes and feet Your legs hips and pelvis Your torso your arms Elbows wrists hands and fingertips Relax your neck and Invite every part of your face and your head And invite every part of your face and your head to relax Gently massage along the bottom of the cheekbones To let go of some of the clenching in your jaw Allow your eyes to soften and sink more deeply into their sockets Relax your eyebrows and your brow And breathe into any place that is still tight Or experiencing sensation or discomfort Bring your attention now to your heart space At the center of your chest at heart level And as you continue that relaxation And as you continue that rhythmic breath Breathing in deeply pause in momentarily Exhaling completely It's as though your entire body Fills up with light with each breath Luminous crystal clear white light It radiates through you From you and cascades and circulates around you Breathe it in breathe it out Settle into this fusion and energy of light Settle into this fusion and energy of light Now imagine in your mind's eye 12 candlesticks lined up in front of you Each candle holder contains a pure white candle Only one is a light The first one It represents the Christ light The I am divinity that radiates through all beings Without being extinguished The flame of this Christ candle gently flickers in rhythmic motion with your breath This candle Represents the presence of divine spirit You've heard it said Jesus is the reason for the season Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Jesus is the reason for the season Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus And a reminder to his followers of the light that the Messiah brought to the world Let the presence of the Christ spirit The universal divine nature innate in all of us Be birthed anew this day as faith,

Love,

Joy and peace Silently affirm the following This ignited candle represents the presence of spirit that permeates every aspect of these holy days This Christmas season I am open to receive,

Experience and express divine gifts of light,

Hope,

Love,

Joy and peace in ways that are stress-free and sacred Take a deep breath in Completely exhale And imagine that you pick up this white Christ candle And light the second neighboring candle to represent candles and Christmas lights Before electricity,

People used candles to light their homes and decorate their Christmas trees Candles and Christmas lights still play a big part in our Christmas festivities Light is a universal symbol for the divine spirit within The I am nature that we are called to express and let shine So take a deep breath in and exhale Imagine that you pick up the Christ light and light this second candle to represent the candles and Christmas lights of this holy season And then silently affirm I light this candle to represent candles and Christmas lights that symbolize the bringers of light that we are called to express I light this candle to represent candles and Christmas lights that symbolize the bringers of light that we are called to be I choose to now radiate my own brilliance and light throughout this holy Christmas season and beyond Breathe in,

Exhale fully all the air out Our third candle is for family and community connections One of the most important aspects of Christmas where we gather to celebrate with family and friends and create heart-to-heart connections with those around us in our neighborhoods and in our spiritual communities In your mind's eye you imagine using the Christ light to light this third candle and affirm I light this candle to represent family and community and the heart level connections I make with those whom I'm blessed to gather or with those with whom I vicariously share this holy Christmas experience and beyond Breathe in,

Breathe out Now turn your attention to the fourth candle displayed before you that represents Christmas wreaths A wreath has neither beginning nor end but is a continuous circle making it a universal symbol that represents time,

The cycles of the seasons and the infinity of divine love Take your Christ candle and in your mind's eye imagine you are lighting the fourth candle and as the flame ignites and flickers,

Silently affirm I light this candle to represent Christmas wreaths and the unending love of spirit,

Wholeness,

Unity and balance that they symbolize and which I choose to emanate during this holy Christmas experience and beyond Breathe in,

Breathe out and in your mind's eye now bring your attention to the fifth candle before you that represents Christmas trees The evergreen fir is known for its ability to keep its crisp bluish green or verdant green color all year round as well as for its fragrant and invigorating pine aroma Imagine you are taking your Christ light and lighting the fifth candle to represent Christmas trees The candle wick ignites with a flame that gently flickers and as it steadies you take a breath and silently affirm I light this candle to represent Christmas trees,

A symbol of the ever renewing hope generated in my heart and the bold noble elegance I am choosing to display during this holy Christmas experience and beyond Breathe in and out and turn your attention to the sixth candle displayed before you that represents Christmas ornaments and decorations Christmas and Christmas trees would be bland without ornaments and decorations Traditionally the practice was to decorate the tree with various offerings including red apples Legend has it that after the apples were destroyed by a harsh winter a European glassblower craftsman had the brilliant idea of inventing colorful glass balls to replace them Thus the Christmas bauble or decoration was born As you relax even deeper with your next breath imagine you use your Christ light to light this sixth candle representing Christmas ornaments and decorations The candle wick flame burns brightly and steadies itself As you affirm I light this candle to represent Christmas ornaments and decorations that symbolize the sparkling energy of Christmas ornaments and decorations that symbolize the sparkling energy of enthusiasm and beauty with which I am blessed to adorn this holy Christmas experience and beyond Exhale all the air from your lungs and as you breathe in your next breath your attention turns to the seventh candle displayed before you that represents Christmas carols They say when we sing we pray twice Christmas carols sung during the Christmas season are special songs about Jesus and the time of his birth In the middle ages Christmas carols were dances accompanied by singing Take your Christ light and ignite the seventh candle to represent Christmas carols And as you witness this newly ignited flame dancing in the wind affirm silently to yourself I light this candle to represent Christmas carols and the joyful harmony of thanksgiving,

Praise,

Acknowledgement and celebration that resounds through me during this holy experience of Christmas and beyond Allow your shoulders to roll down from your ears,

Unclench,

Breathe deeply and bring your attention to the eighth candle displayed before you that represents Christmas bells,

Bells that chime out joy to the world and ring in clarity announcing our awareness of the Christ presence that resides within all of us Take your Christ candle and light the eighth candle before you as the flame steadies and glows brightly Affirm to yourself I light this candle to represent Christmas bells and the clarity they chime out,

The space they clear and the peals of great joy that they ring out to the world during this holy experience of Christmas and beyond Let your next breath help bring your attention to candle number nine displayed in front of you This candle represents Christmas poinsieres.

Poinsieres are native plants to Mexico and the coloured leaves are not petals at all Hence the ancient Aztec's word for this red-leafed plant translates as starflower and the plant is deemed to symbolise purity Take your Christ candle and ignite the ninth candle and silently affirm I light this candle to represent Christmas poinsieres and the purity of spirit rebirthed in each of us as well as the radiance that colours my heart with good cheer,

Good intention and celebration throughout this holy experience of Christmas and beyond Now bring your attention to the tenth candle.

It represents Santa Claus Santa Claus is the recasting of Saint Nicholas whose feast day falls on December 6th.

Saint Nicholas was known for taking to heart Jesus' words about almsgiving Santa Claus,

Also known as Father Christmas,

Is depicted as a jolly and generous man who anonymously delivers gifts without seeking recognition or repayment Pick up your Christ light and ignite the tenth candle that represents Santa Claus or Father Christmas and as the flame on your tenth candle rises and then steadies,

Affirm this to yourself I light this candle to represent Santa Claus or Father Christmas and the generosity of spirit and selfless acts of kindness that I am inspired to share during this holy Christmas experience and beyond Speaking of gift giving and sharing,

We turn our attention to the eleventh candle The Christmas story includes the wise men sharing their gifts of gold,

Frankincense and myrrh to honour the infant Christ child that they found in a Bethlehem manger inspired the concept of gift giving at Christmas For many people,

Gift giving defines the Christmas season and on occasion it has overshadowed the greatest gift of all,

The rebirth of the Christ spirit within us Take your Christ light and ignite the eleventh candle that represents gift giving and sharing As the wick catches the flame and radiates yellow-white light,

Take a breath and affirm silently I light this candle to represent gift giving and sharing,

Symbolised by the beautifully wrapped gifts of love,

Compassion,

Inclusivity and understanding emanating from my heart during this holy Christmas experience and beyond Now bring your attention to the final and last unlit candle displayed before you that represents candy canes and all the sweet treats of Christmas The candy cane itself,

Shaped like a shepherd's crook,

Symbolises bringing lost sheep back to the fold As you take your Christ light and ignite the final twelfth candle,

Watch the flame rise,

Steady and glow Then take in a deep breath,

Exhale and silently affirm,

I light this candle to represent Christmas candy canes symbolising the sweetness of life I get to taste as part of this holy and light Christmas experience that brings me back to centre,

Back to the source We take this moment of stillness as we breathe in deeply,

Pause momentarily and exhale completely to bear witness to this bright luminous light displayed before us with these twelve candles flickering gently in the breeze in harmony with the light flowing within you,

Symbolically representing the qualities and attributes that are hallmarks of our Christmas tradition and celebrations But right now,

They represent the qualities and attributes that we set as our intention to embrace and express throughout this season of holy days,

This Christmas experience and beyond The light gleaming before us mirrors the light radiating in and through us We are light and we let all of our light shine in everything we say and do,

Create,

Prepare,

Give and share that makes this holiday season merry and light Bring your hands to prayer position and rest your thumbs on your sternum as you become aware once more of the sounds around you the stillness within you,

The light flowing from you One more time,

Inhale deeply,

Pause momentarily and exhale completely From that light-infused holy space in me to that light-infused holy space within you,

I now bow Namaste Namaste

Reviews

Just excellent! What a wonderful thing for my Christmas morning ❤️❤️❤️ 🕯

So peaceful and centering.