There are a few things I consider myself to be Rockstar in: brewing a beautiful cup of tea, moving and grooving on the dance floor, and kicking butt every morning through meditation.

This morning as I slipped into my fluffy teal robe and zombie walked to my favorite meditation spot, I flipped the light switch, and my living room was transformed into a fairy land.  The lights on my Christmas tree sparkled in the pre-dawn light and I stood transfixed, scratching my belly and my mouth hanging open.

As I settle in to meditate, a thought gift floated in.  I call them thought gifts, because I know I can’t think this stuff up, so it has to come from the Divine.  A tree meditation.  What an incredible idea…now how the heck to I do that?

The thought gift may come from outside of me, but my end of the deal is to put it into action, and sometimes I think I get the harder part of the deal.

My gaze softened as I took in all the ornaments.  I have an eclectic tree, a mish mash of ornaments from my childhood, treasures my girls made that involve popsicle sticks and glitter, gifts from friends, and mementos from places I’ve visited.  My tree wouldn’t win a prize in Home & Gardens, but I give it a gold star.

These ornaments, they invoke an emotional response and the seed behind all those emotions is gratitude. (you just knew I’d work in gratitude, didn’t you?)  I decided to focus my attention and intention on a few of my ornaments and see where it led me.

My Gulf Shores ceramic ornament that shows the beach, shells, a seahorse, and the ocean waves.  When I close my eyes, I can smell the tangy salt breeze.  It’s a special place for my family- my parents, and now my mom, winter there each year.  I’m so grateful for the memories of my dad teaching the girls to fly kites, my mom teaching them how to peel and de-vein shrimp, and for all of us strolling the beach and picking up sand dollars in the surf.

I have an ornament, it’s heavy, could be used to render an intruder harmless, and makes the branches of by tree bow low.  It’s Santa riding a cow with the Moon in front of them.  Here’s the thing- there are cows all over my tree, the ornaments count into double digits with Eeyore being a close second.  But what drew my eyes to this cow was actually the Moon.  I’ve always been fascinated by the Moon, her beauty and light.  I’m grateful for how she lights the night sky and is my companion.

My eyes drifted to the top of my tree.  Every year, I have a beautiful Neuremberg Angel that tops my tree. I bought her in Germany when I visited right after my high school graduation.  She’s glorious and delicate.  Each year the girls take turns placing her at the tree’s peak, but this year she’s been replaced by…a gnome, who the girls call Linus.  Amanda lobbied for him when we were out shopping, saying he melded more with our vibe in the house. 

Our vibe?  Yep, Amanda used that word.  I was tickled because it meant she accepts and is digging the quirkiness that is her mom.  I miss my angel a bit, but Linus, he reminds me that I’m loved for who I am.

Each ornament that my gaze lands on is a gift of feeling and memory. My Eeyore ornaments almost rival my cows in numbers.  Eeyore really isn’t a downer, but a covert optimist, always grateful for the little things in life, like his house, even if it’s just a pile of sticks.  He’s all about the little things that makes life feel bigger.

This works even if your tree belongs in a full page spread in a glossy magazine.  Any part of your tree, creche, or altar is a connection to your life, there’s a gift waiting for you if you take the time to pause and reflect.

My tree meditation left me feeling lighter, brighter, and more at peace.  I can’t recommend it enough!  You don’t have to start your day with this, you can do it whenever the holidays feel overwhelming or when you want to carve out a moment to embrace your own holiday spirit. It’s truly magical.

I’d love to hear about your favorite ornament and what it means to you.